John 6:51-58 (NRSV)
Read John 6:51-58 on biblegateway.com
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." Verse 52The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" Verse 53So Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Verse 54Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; Verse 55for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Verse 56Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Verse 57Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. Verse 58This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever."
Devotion
In Sunday’s gospel reading, the crowd hearing the words that the bread was Jesus’ flesh, considered this foolishness. They were thinking only of the physical aspect rather than the spiritual understanding of it. In “Do this in remembrance of me” Jesus teaches us that it is not only the reminder of his physical body we are eating but the truth of what Jesus has done by this gift of communion that links us with his whole life and death. When I eat Norwegian meatballs at Christmas I’m reminded of my mother. Now that seems pretty simplistic, but without that memory it would just be food. Instead, there is a flood of good memories. No one can understand this unless they have a relationship with me. Jesus reminds us that the relationship we all have through the Eucharist is his gift to us. It’s what he has done for us—all of us who are now part of his life, death, and resurrection.
Prayer
Loving God, you gave us your son to walk with us, share his life with us, and die for us. He knows us more intimately than anyone. Thank you for this gift of the Eucharist and the gospel that encourages us in our daily life of discipleship following Jesus. In his name, Amen.
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