Reading 2
Brothers and sisters:
Watch carefully how you live,
not as foolish persons but as wise,
making the most of the opportunity,
because the days are evil.
Therefore, do not continue in ignorance,
but try to understand what is the will of the Lord.
And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery,
but be filled with the Spirit,
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts,
giving thanks always and for everything
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
Gospel
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 blood
has 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 me
will 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."
Reflection
Both the second reading and the Gospel today include commands to transform our lives, and we can live out the calls of both passages by partaking in Holy Mass with our full attention and devotion.
In the Gospel, Jesus doubles down on His insistence that “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.” His flesh is true food, and His blood is true drink; we need it. In Holy Mass, we can heed His words and partake of this heavenly meal, receiving Jesus’ Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Holy Eucharist.
In the second reading, we hear the command: “be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs…giving thanks always and for everything….” We take up this call in Holy Mass, where we recite the psalms and sing songs of praise.
In a profound way, Holy Mass heeds the reading’s invitation to give thanks “always and for everything.” The word “Eucharist” translates to “thanksgiving,” and in most of the prefaces of the Mass we repeat almost those same words from the reading: “It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks.” Only Jesus, who is God Himself incarnate, is capable of thanking God infinitely, that is, “always and for everything.” So, we must unite ourselves to His perfect offering through the Eucharist.
We humbly obey the Word of God, and enact our duty and salvation, through Holy Mass. Let us pray for God’s grace to continue that saving sacrifice throughout each day, carrying the cornucopia of graces we receive in Holy Communion into our daily work. In this way, we can live “not as foolish persons but as wise,” remaining in Jesus not just for the minutes after receiving the Host, but always and everywhere.
Please be assured of my prayers for you before Our Lord, present in the Most Blessed Sacrament.
+ Bishop Schlert
