Living Bread
Jesus Christ gives us the foundation and inspiration for our Catholic belief in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. He does so in several ways, first and foremost in His words and actions during the Last Supper when he IDENTIFIES himself with Bread and Wine. He also gives us a lengthy discourse in the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John. We have been hearing and reflecting on this discourse the past two weeks and will continue to do so for the next three. In this week’s portion of that passage, Jesus refers to himself as “…the Living bread that has come down from Heaven.” What does ‘Living bread’ mean?
Jesus goes on to tell us. The Living bread that is Jesus Christ will feed us spiritually into a never-ending union with God and others. He says, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day.”
Sharing a belief in Living Bread leads us to eternal life.
He continues, “the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” We should all trust the impact that the Sacrament of the Eucharist has had for people in every culture on the face of the earth for centuries, and will for the rest of time. The masterful way that Jesus identifies himself with bread and wine, both physically and spiritually, is easily connected to the way people the world over regularly gather for meals, eat bread, drink wine and share stories.
Living Bread extends the world over.
The discourse continues with His statement, “Whoever eats this bread remains in me and I in them.” By partaking both physically and spiritually of Christ’s REAL presence in the Eucharist we experience his lasting presence. He will be with us in a REAL way through the Eucharist FOREVER!
Living Bread means bread that facilitates Christ’s REAL presence that will remain FOREVER! – over and over again.
This discourse also tells us that Jesus is rooted in God the Father. Jesus anchors his identity in and with God the Father. He comes from God and he is one with God. In this discourse he shows respect for the tradition of His ancestors by reminding them that God fed them with manna during their journey through the desert to new life, but he also expands and fulfills that tradition by saying that the same God has sent him into their lives – into OUR lives. His ancestors ate manna in the desert, but they died. Whoever eats the bread that is Jesus Christ will never die.
Living Bread is bread that comes from our Living Father God.
Our church, our parish, our world has seen many challenges recently. Priest sexual scandals, a pandemic and a growing mistrust of many institutions have impacted people’s participation in Church and hence, the Eucharist.
Institutionally the Catholic Church has fostered belief in the sacredness of the Eucharist, but somehow its living nature has lost some life. Regardless of institutional and human sinfulness, our living God continues to feed us through Jesus Christ, the bread of life. Despite our limitations and weakness, we have a God who has given himself to us in Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ gives himself to us in the Eucharist.
Our Catholic faith situates these gifts in our belief that there is One God manifest in three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The two great gifts cited above in my opinion are ground-work for the third gift – the gift of ourselves to others. God the Father does not simply give us his Son Jesus – he gives himself to all humanity in Jesus. Jesus does not simply give us a gift in the Eucharist – he gives himself to us.
If we give ourselves to each other in love, we give in a manner that Jesus gives – a LIVING manner.
Welcome Fr. Gary Weismann
Fr. Gary will be with us at all masses this weekend seeking our support for people in the Diocese of Mandeville in Jamaica. Just consider that many in that diocese do not even have running water. See Sue Geegan’s article in this bulletin for more details.