The gospel readings for this week comes from John 6. Many of you know this is one of my favorite chapters and one I quote in the Sacraments Rollo. It is the famous Bread of Life discourse. Jesus meaning is both symbolic and literal.
When he refers to himself as the Bread of life, he is talking about faith in him as the sustenance for our journey as traveler through life. He is saying that our relationship with him is nourishment for our souls.
But Jesus is also speaking literally. He is describing the gift of the Eucharist which is the pinnacle of our worship as Catholic Christians. He is talking about his Real Presence in the bread and wine. He is talking about how receiving this gift unites us with his Body and Blood, his soul and divinity.
Even today the Eucharist is as mysterious as it was to his early followers. It defies our imagination and only the gift of faith can allow us to believe in it. Yet for us who believe it sustains life and gives us the grace we need to endure whatever comes our way. That is why I believe we need to get back to opening our churches ASAP. We need to get people back to work AND back to the church !!
DeColores, Deacon Doug