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The crowd said to Jesus:
“What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you?
What can you do?
Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written:
He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”
So Jesus said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven;
my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world.”
So they said to Jesus,
“Sir, give us this bread always.”
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”
Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner. The full readings of the day from the Lectionary are available here.
Today’s gospel gives us the chance to meditate on the source and summit of the Christian life, the Eucharist, in which Jesus gives himself completely—Body, Blood, soul, and divinity—to his people. The church has treasured this gift, as seen in the many hymns and prayers composed in its honor. These expressions of devotion point to a shared belief that in receiving the Eucharist, one comes into contact with the very source of divine life and joy.
The words attributed to Saint Teresa of the Andes further deepen this understanding. “I eat Jesus. He is my nourishment. I am assimilated by him. What greater happiness is there than this: to hold tightly to our heart the God who is our God! Receive Communion as well and be deeply aware of the One who visits you, infinite love, divine madness; of One who not only became man like ourselves, but who became bread. After you receive Communion, ask Jesus, the God you hold prisoner in your soul, to stay with you throughout the day so that you may love him and give him thanks.”
Her words stress the intimacy of this encounter: in receiving communion, a person is united with Christ in a profound and personal way. This union is not passive but transformative, calling the believer to remain aware of Christ’s presence and to respond with love and gratitude throughout the day.
By approaching the Eucharist with faith, we can make one of the church’s prayers our own and praise the Blessed Sacrament with her, saying: “O sacred banquet, in which Christ becomes our food, the memory of his passion is celebrated, the soul is filled with grace, and the pledge of future glory is given to us. You gave them bread from heaven, containing every blessing.”
Editor’s Note: The O Sacred Banquet (O Sacrum Convivium) is a traditional eucharistic prayer and antiphon composed by St. Thomas Aquinas for the Feast of Corpus Christi. While often associated with benediction, it is commonly used as an antiphon for vespers and can be used in the Office of Readings, particularly by Dominicans.
We give you thanks, Jesus, for your bountiful generosity. You fill us, the starving, with good things, and you know the hunger we have to know you more deeply. When our faith is weak, or when we demand a sign, send your Spirit to break through our daily routines in the form of bread and wine to remind us of the sacrifice and love we re-present and share in every time we are at Mass. Amen.
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