Daily Gospel Reflection
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May 1, 2020
The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
So 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. Those who eat my Flesh and drink my Blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my Flesh is true food and my Blood is true drink.
“Those who eat my Flesh and drink my Blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This 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.”
He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.
Over the past few months, I’ve often found myself answering questions on repeat in an attempt to satiate my three-year-old’s continual litany of “why” questions. “Why are trains fast, mommy? But why? Are you sure, why?” After resolving to be patient and use the barrage of questions as a teaching and learning moment, I realize that some concepts are just beyond my child’s reach. When there is no end in sight to his curiosity, I have to switch tactics – offer him food, play music, or distract him in some other way. In today’s gospel, I imagine Jesus as the parent who is attempting to muster the patience to answer a child’s question.
This gospel reading is the foundation of one of the most important tenants of our Catholic faith: that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. In this passage, Jesus clarifies his meaning three distinct times, as if he foresaw the trouble that the future Church was going to have in grasping his teaching. He re-affirms and re-iterates his meaning so that there can be no doubt as to his message. And yet, immediately following this passage, we see later in John 6:60 that many of Jesus’ followers left him, and even his disciples express their struggle to Jesus saying, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
As I reflect on this teaching, I often find myself in my three-year old’s role asking, “Why, Jesus?” In these moments, I am so grateful for the gift of parenting because I come to understand Jesus’ response more fully. It’s not that Jesus does not want to answer my question, it is that he did answer my question, but I need to allow myself to grow in my faith to more fully understand and accept his teaching. As I continue to grow, I also need to have the faith of a child to trust in him, just as I expect my son to trust my answers to his questions.
Prayer
Lord, your Son Jesus gives us his body and his Blood in the Eucharist. His Love is real, total and unconditional. Remove our feelings of unworthiness, anger, hurt, revenge so we may allow you to feed our lives and quench our thirsts. Set us on fire to feed the hungers and thirsts of our world. We ask this through Jesus, the Bread of Life and Cup of Love. Amen.
Saint of the Day
For centuries, May 1, known as May Day, was celebrated as a traditional springtime festival date in Europe. As the Industrial Revolution changed the face of society, May 1 also became a date on which unions and political activists organized activities to advocate for workers. This day became known as International Workers’ Day, and is especially popular in communist states.
St. Joseph has a traditional feast day on March 19, but for a time, the Church had also honored Joseph during the second week of Easter. In 1955, this feast was transformed to the feast of St. Joseph the Worker and moved permanently to May 1 to highlight Joseph’s patronage of workers and craftsmen.
When pondering Jesus, it is easy for Christians to focus on his divinity and forget the ways in which Jesus shared our humanity. Joseph was a carpenter, and our tradition tells us that Jesus was formed by his foster-father in this same trade, which meant hard work, an attention to detail, patience, and diligence.
Joseph provided for his family as a craftsman who did not earn a lot of money. When they went to the Temple, for example, Joseph offered two doves, which was an allowance for those who could not afford a greater sacrifice. Nevertheless, Joseph was filled with faith—he responded immediately to the promptings of angels in his care for Mary and Jesus, even when he did not understand why. He was also filled with love—he had tender regard for Mary, even when it appeared she was unfaithful to him, and he loved Jesus as his own son.
Relics of St. Joseph rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica, including parts of Joseph’s robe and pieces of Jesus’ crib, which would have been made by Joseph. He is depicted in many places around campus, including in today's featured stained glass image from the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Notre Dame's campus, and statue from the chapel in Breen Phillips Hall.
St. Joseph, patron saint of workers, you exemplify the dignity of human labor—pray for us!