Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: August 18, 2024

Date: 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Scripture Text:  John 6:51-58

Jesus said to the crowds:

"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."

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my bloodhas eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on mewill have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

Once again the focus of the Sunday gospel is on Jesus as “The Bread of Life.” Jesus promises life to those who receive His body and blood. To those who receive the Eucharist, Jesus promises that they will “remain in me” and that Jesus will “remain” in them. The disciples and the crowd do not understand Jesus’ words at the time they are spoken; it is only after the Last Supper and Good Friday’s sacrifice on Calvary that Jesus words make sense.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

Do I believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist?

Praying:

LORD, You sent your beloved Son to dwell among us and to redeem us. He calls us to remain in Him as He remains in You and gave us the gift of the Eucharist so that we might remain in Him and He might remain in us. Send your Spirit to tenderize our being so that we are more receptive to the gift of Your Beloved Son in the Eucharist. Grant that we may receive Him into our minds, hearts, and body and that we will remain in Him as He remains in us. We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Spirit, one LORD, forever and ever. Amen.