Reflection: Today’s Gospel
according to John gives us beautiful validation of the Catholic Church’s teaching
regarding transubstantiation and the true presence of Jesus’ body and blood in
the Eucharist. Why would the Jews have
been quarreling about Jesus “giving us his flesh to eat” if Jesus had said He
would give them a symbol of His body and blood?
Surely a symbol would not cause this much of an uprising. Jesus does not say to eat this symbol, but “unless
you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you do not have life
within you.”
Just as Saul needed to be baptized and “when he had
eaten, he recovered his strength,” we too must eat of the bread of life so we
might have strength for our spiritual journey.
We should seek the Lord often in the Eucharist, because “whoever eats my
Flesh and drinks my Blood remains in me and I in him.” What greater help and source of strength
could we ask for than to welcome our Lord into our hearts and our bodies? The beauty of the Catholic Church is that it
makes Mass and the Eucharist available to us every day of the week in every country
in the world.
Reflection
for younger saints:
Today Jesus tells us we must eat His Flesh and drink His Blood so we can
have eternal life in heaven with Him. We
do this by going to Mass and receiving Jesus in the Eucharist. We should welcome and receive Jesus as often
as we can so He can give us the strength that we need.
Big
Picture: Jesus gave
us “His flesh to eat”
Discussion
Starters:
Younger saints: What is it called when the bread and the wine become Jesus’ body and blood? When this happens, is it just a symbol of Jesus’ body and blood, or is it Jesus’ true body and blood? When are we able to receive Jesus’ body and blood? (Daily, by receiving His body and blood in the Eucharist).
Older saints: Take a few minutes today to read about transubstantiation and the Catholic Church’s teaching on the Eucharist. Compare this teaching to Protestant teaching. How are they different? Which seems to more properly align to today’s Gospel reading?
Younger saints: What is it called when the bread and the wine become Jesus’ body and blood? When this happens, is it just a symbol of Jesus’ body and blood, or is it Jesus’ true body and blood? When are we able to receive Jesus’ body and blood? (Daily, by receiving His body and blood in the Eucharist).
Older saints: Take a few minutes today to read about transubstantiation and the Catholic Church’s teaching on the Eucharist. Compare this teaching to Protestant teaching. How are they different? Which seems to more properly align to today’s Gospel reading?
Fun
Fact: The particular judgment is the judgment that will be passed on each one of us immediately after death (St. Joseph’s Baltimore Catechism No. 1, 2008, p. 70).
Saint
of the day:
Name: Saint Alphege
What they are remembered for: St. Alphege lived a life of a monk, a hermit, an abbot, and a bishop. During his time as bishop he was well known for his care for the poor and his personal sacrifices. He was captured during a time of war and was martyred after refusing to have a large ransom paid for his release.
Feast day: April 19
Daily Notes:
Name: Saint Alphege
What they are remembered for: St. Alphege lived a life of a monk, a hermit, an abbot, and a bishop. During his time as bishop he was well known for his care for the poor and his personal sacrifices. He was captured during a time of war and was martyred after refusing to have a large ransom paid for his release.
Feast day: April 19
Daily Notes:
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