Jesus gives us his flesh to eat and his blood to drink. He fills and strengthens us pilgrims who are on the way to eternal life.

Jesus gives his disciples his body to eat, and asks them, “Do this in remembrance of me.” Then, he gives them his blood to drink, and tells them again, “Do this … in remembrance of me.” We have to remember, yes, as do the people of Israel: “Remember …;” “Do not forget ….”

That is why the Sacred Banquet, in which we eat Christ, recalls the suffering of Christ. And the recalling fills us with grace and gives us, besides, a pledge of future glory. That is to say, the Holy Spirit calls Jesus back, so that we may feel and taste his closeness. As though we were in heaven.

Yes, we should recount the Good News, remember Jesus, his works and his words (see also Unchain the Word through Memory and Remembrance of Jesus). But it is very sad to recall the suffering of Jesus. For when we do so, we come face to face with man’s inhumanity to man.

Yet the more appalling man’s heinous cruelty to man, the more the greatly amazing love of the victim of cruelty stands out. It is love to the end. And that is why no other love can be greater or a better proof that God is love.

To eat others or to let them eat us?

Facing us are the love that makes us human and the hate that makes us inhuman. We only need to choose one or the other. For there is no middle ground; it is not enough not to hate only or not to love simply.

So, which do we choose? To be strong? And be among the evil-doers who eat up people as though they eat bread.  Or to be weak, and hence, strong, to empty ourselves to reach self-fulfillment? That is, to be on the side of Jesus who gives his flesh to eat and his blood to drink.

That is how creative his love is, which urges even those who do not understand, so that they may not reap eternal woe (SV.EN XI:131-132). But that they may live and be among those who make up but one body, since they share in the one loaf.

This is, no doubt, a matter of blessing and curse, life and death.

Lord Jesus, the Father gave his pilgrim people food and drink. In turn, make us eat your flesh and drink your blood, so that we may live forever. And give us your Holy Spirit that will become in us a spring that wells up to eternal life (Jn 4, 14; 7, 38-39). We pilgrims, then, will have the strength to get to the holy mountain. There the Lord of hosts sets for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines (Is 25, 6).

14 June 2020
Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (A)
Dt 8, 2-3. 14b-16a; 1 Cor 10, 16-17; Jn 6, 51-58