by Fr F. Onyango IMC
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Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16
Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
1 Corinthians 10:16-17
John 6:51-58
Theme: The Lord who feeds us!
Today we are called to a deeper appreciation of the Holy Eucharist which is the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. In the first reading we see how God fed his people in the wilderness with manna from heaven. St Paul poses a question to us in the second reading: ‘the cup of blessing which we bless is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?’ Jesus tells us today that he is the living bread which came down from heaven and that whoever eats this bread will live forever.
Jesus came so that we may have life and have it in full and he went to the extent of breaking himself so that we may be satisfied. Therefore, the Eucharist should also move us to break ourselves to others. We receive life so that we can give life and when the Lord feeds us, he feeds us so that we can also feed others! Feeding here is not only restricted to the physical bread as we have heard that man does not live by bread alone, but that man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. By offering people bread we feed them physically, but people are also hungry for other things; people are hungry for love and friendship; some are hungry for the word, for justice, for knowledge, for guidance and encouragement. Our call is to try and feed them in all aspects so that they may have life in abundance for that is what the Lord came for.
Most of us are fed at the table of the Lord yet we still go away hungry because either we do not believe in the real presence of the Lord in the Eucharist or we are not properly disposed as we receive the body of Christ. The moment we change our attitude, the moment we see the Eucharist for what it really is; the body of Christ, then it will begin to have meaning in our lives. We sing in one of the songs: ‘If you are hungry, come to the feast. Open to Jesus, he is all you need. He fed the thousands, now he’ll feed you. Just open your mouth and take him in – that’s all you have to do. Let us allow the Lord to feed us with his word and the sacrament so that we may also go and feed others.