Proverb 9:1-6
Psalm 33:2-3.10-15
Ephesians 5:15-20
John 6:51-58
THE MYSTERY WE CELEBRATE AT MASS
Today we come to the core of Jesus’ teaching on the Bread of life. At Holy Mass, we often hear words like “…Blessed are those called to the Supper of the Lamb.” Or again, “the body of Christ”, “the Blood of Christ;” and we respond “Amen”. But do we really understand these words? Do we believe them? The Jews understood very well what Jesus meant when he said he would give them his flesh to eat. They understood he meant his own body and blood. So they argued saying: “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” They were neither cannibals nor blood drinkers. That was an abomination.
But Jesus became more emphatic: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” Again, “For my flesh is food indeed and my blood is drink indeed”. And this is the mystery we celebrate in the Eucharist. St John Chrysostom said: “What we believe is not the same as what we see. For one thing we see is bread and wine, and another we believe is the Body and blood of our Lord. And such is our mystery.”
It is therefore Jesus Christ himself that we receive in the Holy Communion. The words from the book of Proverbs must always resonate in our ears: “come and eat, drink the wine I have prepared.” “Taste and see how good is the Lord!” says the Psalmist. This is an invitation we must eagerly yearn to hear and accept gladly if we really understand what it means.
And whenever we eat this bread and drink this wine, we become untied with Christ. We become one with him. We dwell in him and he in us. Holy Communion creates therefore a real life giving union with Christ and with one another.
May the Lord blesé and keep all of us. Amen
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