John 6:35; 41-51 (NRSV)
Read John 6:35; 41-51 on biblegateway.com
Verse 35Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. Verse 41Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." Verse 42They were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?" Verse 43Jesus answered them, "Do not complain among yourselves. Verse 44No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. Verse 45It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. Verse 46Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Verse 47Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. Verse 48I am the bread of life. Verse 49Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. Verse 50This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. Verse 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."
Devotion
When we celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion, we believe that Christ is fully present. Through this simple meal of bread and wine, Jesus comes to us in flesh and blood: the real presence of God, given for us and to us through these elements.
Participation in this sacrament does not merely symbolize a connection with God. Instead, as we eat this "bread of life" and drink from the cup, we actually participate in a union with Christ and receive a foretaste of the feast to come.
But it is not only in this sacramental meal that we eat the bread of life. The living bread of Christ's presence is all around us and is especially visible in our relationships with others. Jesus promises to "abide in [us]" (John 15:1-17), each and every one of us! And so we experience the presence of Christ and taste the bread of life as we love and serve others.
Prayer
God, give us this day our daily bread: the bread we need to live, and the bread we need for new life. Amen.