John 6:54
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
Probably the most quoted and most powerful scripture that sums up our beliefs is that of John 3:16- For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Another passage from John, not often quoted, but given possibly even more power as the words from Christ himself, come from this weekend's gospel in chapter 6. "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." In fact, this entire reading this weekend is the crux of our faith. Jesus Christ manifested in the celebration of the Eucharist, is the source and summit of our faith. We call this a celebration because we are assured eternal life. Jesus himself instituted this sacrament, this most holy sacrifice of himself, so that we would not perish, but indeed have eternal life.
Many people today do not understand the importance of this part of the Mass. Keep in mind that when Jesus taught his disciples and followers these words, not all of them understood. Today many of the faithful that attend Mass, take this most holy sacrifice for granted. Many become distracted and lose focus on what is taking place. Because of this, I've seen people receive Christ inappropriately, irreverently or without proper devotion and education. Let me encourage you to prayerfully remember that Jesus is our true food and true drink and that we are taking our Lord into our bodies for everlasting life. Don't take this for granted. Approach this celebration with reverence, holy focus, and humility. Before receiving, remember these words and take them to heart, "Lord I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed." None of us are worthy, but Jesus invites us. Come to the table this weekend.
