My Dear People,

Today as we celebrate the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, and this discourse progresses, Jesus gets increasingly graphic, changing the word “eat” to the more striking term  trago, which means “munch or chew.”  He introduces the concept of: “drinking His blood,” which has nothing to do with the multiplication of the loaves—the preaching event for this discourse—but only makes sense if Jesus is moving toward a Eucharistic application in His teachings.

Eating animal blood was forbidden in the Old Testament because the “life . .  is in the blood” (Lev. 17:11). God does not want us to share the life of animals; but the Blood of Christ is the Blood of God, and He does want us to share in divine life. 

This discourse was delivered during the Passover season (John 6:4). It’s an interesting fact, even though Passover was close, Jesus does not journey down to Jerusalem but multiplies the loaves for the crowds in Galilee, a kind of alternative Passover of the Messiah. Also, Jesus  makes obvious reference to manna (“I am the living bread that came down from heaven”); so, Passover and Manna are the two Old Testament types usually discussed in commentary about this chapter. It is even less noticeable that Jesus is referring to the Fruit of the Tree of Life, the only other thing in the Scripture that one could eat in order to gain immortality (“Whoever eats this bread will live forever”). It is fitting that we who lost eternal life through an act of eating should regain it through an act of eating. 

The Cross becomes for us the new Tree of Life. 

Our reflection on the scripture passages for Corpus Christi should give us great joy!  Especially, God’s tremendous provision for our needs, both physical and spiritual: the greatest sign, which is His daily gift of the Eucharist, the Flesh of His own Son. 

At the same time, we should feel sorrow because of the lack of unity among Christians; The Eucharist is a call for Christian unity with the Son and the Father. The Eucharist represents and causes our unity with the Holy Trinity (celebrated last week). 

Yet we often do not live or act in a way that would inspire our family members or co-workers to think:  He lives in Christ and Christ lives in him.  

May we use this opportunity provided by the Masses this weekend to pray that our thoughts, words, and behaviors in this coming week and the rest of our lives may make more visible our union with Christ through this sacrament. 

  [From Reflections on the Sunday Readings for Year A by Dr. John Bergdsma]

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Vincent Clemente