His Very Flesh
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
John 6:41-51 - The Jews murmured about Jesus because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven, ” and they said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? Then how can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop murmuring among yourselves. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. It is written in the prophets:
They shall all be taught by God.
Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. 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.”
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“The bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
In this Sunday’s Gospel we continue with John’s account of Jesus teaching at the synagogue at Capernaum. One of the many striking things about this section of John’s Gospel is the special care Jesus takes to clarify what He is saying. He hears and addresses his listeners’ question about signs and bread from heaven. Then He explains to them the similarities, and especially the differences, between these signs, and the living bread that He wants to give them. He uses the phrase, “truly, truly” to capture their careful attention. He invokes prophecies from Scripture to explain His meaning. He repeats ideas and phrases like, “I am the bread of life.” He takes time to make clear to His listeners that what He is talking about is not just symbolic. He emphasizes that He is talking about something literal.
Certainly, it is significant that we see Jesus doing these things, so often, so deliberately, so seriously. This one passage should tell any faithful reader that Jesus wants us to understand precisely the point He is carefully trying to get across. This point becomes even clearer today at the end of the Gospel and will become especially clear in next Sunday’s passage. The living bread that He speaks of is His very Flesh. Keeping Jesus’ words in mind, let’s take time to reflect now, and especially next Sunday before Mass, on what we really receive: the actual Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
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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