HOLY WEEK: LENT DAY 38

“Man ate the bread of Angels; he sent them food in abundance” (Psalm 78:25). Each time I read this passage I ask myself how it felt like, to eat the bread of Angels. Eating heavenly food is such a privilege to have a foretaste of what heaven looks like. Jesus will make us understand that two types of bread come down from heaven, one that gives life and the other that does not and that’s why even though our ancestors ate the first bread that came down from heaven, they still died (John 6:58). Herein, lies the whole difference and we must choose wisely, which of the breads from heaven we want to eat. While the first bread feeds the body, the second feeds both the body and the soul and also gives eternal life. Concerning the first bread, Jesus will feed the people severally with it, first 5000 men (Matthew 14:21) and second 4000 men (Matthew 15:32-38) and this will make the people search everywhere for him but Jesus will require that they should not look for him because they ate bread and were satisfied but they should stop working for perishable food and the quest for everlasting one which gives eternal life (John 6:26-27). You must note here that they ate the bread and were satisfied and filled up (Matthew 14:20) and that’s what made them quest for it but what they forgot is that the satisfaction of that bread is only temporal and to that effect Jesus will say man cannot live just on such bread alone (Matthew 4:4) because it cannot give life eternal. How often have we focussed our lives on the quest for perishable things? In talking about himself, Jesus will precise that he is not just bread but he is the living bread that has come down from heaven (John 6:41), bread that is alive and because it has life, it can as well give life to all who receive it and eat of it. This is a special gift of God that man has not yet understood and Jesus will spell this out when talking to the Samaritan woman about the living water, telling her that if only she knew the gift of God (John 4:10). The gift of God for us is that, we should eat and drink and have life and Jesus will precise it be telling us that, whoever eats his body and drinks his blood shall not perish but have eternal life (John 6:54). What an easy and simplified way to have life eternal by doing the easiest of human habits, eating and drinking. Jesus declared to the people that he is the bread of life and we have the bread which comes down from heaven that we may eat of it and not die (John 6:48-50). What a beautiful way of giving eternal life, making it possible for everyone who desires life to receive it easily and simply. It is so funny to say we can eat our way into eternal life but it is so true. I invite you today to eat your way into eternal life. Jesus knowing he was about to return to the Father thought of us today and decided to find a way to perpetuate this beautiful gift of his body and blood so that we who had not lived during his time could also be privileged to receive life everlasting by eating and drinking. He did this by instituting the sacrament of his Holy Body and Blood under the aspect of bread and wine when he took bread, blessed, and gave the disciples saying this is my body which is given for you and this cup is the new covenant sealed in my blood which is poured out for you, do this in remembrance of me (Luke 22:19-20). The beauty of this passage is found in the order of reiteration, do this in memory of me. He ordered his apostles not to allow what they had just seen him do end there but to make sure they keep doing it so that his presence and memory will be perpetuated and also that the food of life will not end after his departure but continue to give life to all who eat and drink of it. This is such a great proof of love. Lots of arguments about this whole bread being the body or the chalice being the blood of Christ have gone on and on since the departure of Jesus and St Paul in trying to answer them, I will ask a simple question whether the chalice and bread we bless and break is not a communion with the body and blood of Christ? This a very deep question and he will push further by reminding them of the tradition he received as well as the other of reiteration (do this in memory of me), noting that eating of them unworthily is not sinning against the memory of Christ or the memory of his body and blood but it is sinning against the Body and Blood of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:23-27). One thing we must always bear in mind are the words of Jesus when leaving this memorial to his apostles, he said THIS IS MY BODY, holding a piece of bread, he didn’t say a symbol of my body but he was clear that the bread is his body which will be given up. This is so beautiful a mystery and a memorial that Jesus left behind as a sign of love for the human race. We must therefore today in our time take advantage of this beautiful gift and eat our way worthily into life everlasting. When Jesus had the discourse with the Jews about his flesh being food and his blood being drink, the Pharisees wondered how he gave them flesh to eat but Jesus did not explain how he would give them the flesh but simply reminded them that unless they eat the flesh and drink the blood they won’t have life (John 6:52-54). But notice how Jesus makes the answer beautiful to us by saying his flesh is really food and his blood really drink (John 6:55), and those who eat it will live in him and him in them and he will give them life then he goes just belove to say he is the bread that came down from heaven, bread that gives life and he will push further to say it is the spirit that gives life and that the flesh cannot help but rather the words he speaks are spirit and life (John 6:55-58 and 60-63). The whole solution to this mystery is found in these words and that’s why, when the time came to give his body as food, he took Bread which he had mentioned above (that he is true bread), blessed it with the Word (calling upon it the power of the spirit and life) before giving it to his disciples. Thus, changing the bread from a simple human reality to a new one that contains life. Today, during consecration, the same procedure is observed by calling down the power of the Holy Spirit upon the bread and wine, using the Words of Jesus, so that they both can become the sacred Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. I invite you today to put behind you all the doubts and debates and raise up your faith seeing in that appearance of bread and wine, the sacred Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember that, as Christians, we do not live by sight but by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7) bearing in mind that sight can be deceptive and limited but faith opens to a wider world of unmeasurable spiritual realities. I call upon you, do not doubt, just believe (John 20:27 and Mark 5:36), such are the words of Jesus to those who put their trust in the reality of sight. I repeat the same words unto you, do not doubt, just believe. In Corda Matris.

Resolutions

I resolve to believe that the bread and wine offered on the altar and consecrated is the true body and blood of Jesus.
I resolve to approach his body and blood reverently and receive him devoutly.
I resolve to teach others to love and cherish this great gift given to us.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I thank you for sending your son Jesus to die for me and to offer his body and blood in atonement for my sins. Teach me to believe in his body and blood present under the aspects of bread and wine and to revere them with true devotion and love. Amen.