John 6:51-58
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven.” (John 6:51)
As we have ventured through the Bread of Life Discourse in the Gospel of John, the Lord has likened Himself to the Manna in the desert, bread that provided life for the Israelites, yet He takes it a step further when speaking of Himself. In today’s Gospel, we find the Jews quarreling, yet Jesus does not walk back any claims or give in to the distractions, rather He doubles down and speaks to the reality of who He is.
As He does this, Jesus leans into proclaiming who He is to the people. He states that He is the bread from Heaven and the way to eternal life. Each of us is invited to eat his flesh and drink his blood, and it is precisely in this Eucharistic experience that we are united in Christ. He truly makes Himself known as the way, the truth, and the life.
Following a proper understanding of who Jesus is, it becomes clear that He satisfies in a unique and full way. Jesus invites his followers to draw so near as to eat of his flesh and drink of his blood. Jesus makes it clear that the intimacy He offers in the Eucharist satisfies all longings and desires. In eating of Him, we remain in Him. It is by receiving this gift, as well as giving of ourselves in the sacramental exchange, that healing, and fulfillment are brought about. Jesus is healer, the Christ, the Son of God, and It is by receiving Him in the Eucharist that one will be brought to eternal life. Let us remember this beautiful reality as we receive our Lord in the Eucharist at Mass. Let Him satisfy all of your desires!
By Jesse Iamarino, MA
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