His Life is Our Life
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
John 6: 51-58 - Jesus said to the Jewish 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."
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“…the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
It is important to see that the Jews to whom Jesus is speaking really think that Jesus is talking about eating His Body, His actual Flesh. And He is! This idea of eating a man’s flesh is shocking to these Jews… and why wouldn’t it be?! But there is a very important point about this that Jesus keeps repeating. He isn’t telling His listeners to eat His dead Flesh, but to eat His living Flesh.
Most of our food is made up of dead plants and animals. So, whenever we eat, our bodies take in nutrients from these dead plants and animals that once had life in them but no longer do. We don’t receive and share plant and animal life, only the nutrients that remain after their death. In contrast, Jesus makes it clear to His listeners, “I am the living bread.” When we eat Jesus’ Flesh, we actually receive and share in Jesus’ Life… because He is alive and well. When we eat the Eucharist, it is not simple nutrients that become the substance of our lives, but Jesus’ Life that becomes the substance of our lives. In this, our lives are not separate from Jesus’ Life one bit. They are the very same Life. His Life is now our Life. This, the Eucharist, is the way that we can share in God’s very Life—His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. In prayer, consider how much sense the Eucharist makes!
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above. (Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
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