The bread of life discourse of Jesus is completely intriguing and intolerable to those who take it literary. Jesus spoke of Himself as the bread of life and this made the people furious. Jesus usually has a way of making people who do not want to accept truth feel awful.
In the gospel, Jesus gave a very difficult teaching that is hard for the people to accept. Jesus said, “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.” (John 6:51).
The crowd came for another free meal after they have been fed by loaves of bread and fishes. This time, Jesus had to propose to them the bread that will not finish but will last forever. Jesus is that bread that came down from heaven.
How would you have reacted to such a statement if you were among those within the crowd? Consider the fact that you would have recently seen, with your own eyes, the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. Therefore, you would have realized that Jesus was someone special, to say the least.
But how would you have reacted to this statement of Jesus, “and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world,” if you had heard it spoken at that time? Most likely, your reaction would have been the same reaction.
Believing in the Eucharist as the true body and blood of Jesus is a faith on a different level. To eat and to drink the body and blood of Jesus Christ is to choose eternal life. The Holy Eucharist is the most precious gift of Christ to us. Jesus offered to us His real body and blood for the life of our souls, so that, we could live forever. Let us constantly purify ourselves through contrition and confession and be to ready receive Jesus into our lives in the Holy Eucharist. Peace be with you.
