When you eat Christ, you eat life.

"Jesus has made Himself the Bread of Life to give us life. Night and day, He is there. If you really want to grow in love, come back to the Eucharist, come back to that Adoration."--Mother Teresa

Gospel Text: (JN 6:51-58)

Jesus said to the Jewish crowds:

"I am the living bread that came down from heaven;

whoever eats this bread will live forever;

and the bread that I will give

is my flesh for the life of the world."

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,

"How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

Jesus said to them,

"Amen, amen, I say to you,

unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,

you do not have life within you.

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood

has eternal life,

and I will raise him on the last day.

For my flesh is true food,

and my blood is true drink.

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood

remains in me and I in him.

Just as the living Father sent me

and I have life because of the Father,

so also the one who feeds on me

will have life because of me.

This is the bread that came down from heaven.

Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,

whoever eats this bread will live forever."

“Do this in memory of me………………………..”

“Do this” continues the saving work of Jesus Christ 2000 years after he walked this earth. It literally is a “pouring out” of Christ’s life for us.  Our invitation is to live our lives like Jesus, “pouring ourselves” out for others, especially our family and those most in need in our communities.



When a priest holds out the consecrated bread (now the body/blood of Christ) to the one receiving the sacrament.  He says, “The Body of Christ.”  To what or to whom is the priest referring? 

What is being said ("The Body of Christ) is something like this: “You who with faith, hope and love are receiving this sacrament ARE the body of Christ; therefore live out your everyday life AS THE BODY OF CHRIST. 

So each person presenting him/herself to receive Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is taking on the imitation of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.  Each of us is challenged to pour ourselves out for others as Jesus did; and the entire community is equally challenged to BE CHRIST for others.

Think about it, and more importantly strive, with the help of God’s grace to do it!