What Did He Say?
Corpus Christi Year (A)
2008-05-25
John 6:51-58“Did you hear him? What did he say?”
“I’m not sure…it sounded like he wants us to eat his flesh.”
“His flesh?”
“Yeah…and drink his blood!”
“How can He give us his flesh to eat and his blood to drink? Does he want us to be cannibals?”
“I dunno. But it sounds pretty weird.”
“It is a bit hard to figure out.”
“Do you think he meant it symbolically? Like, “‘You must follow my ways and do what I do to have eternal life?’”
“I don’t think so…he seems pretty straightforward about it. Look! There! He said it again! We have to eat his flesh and drink his blood!”
“Well, that’s it for me. I’m outta here.”
“I’m right behind you.”
“Shalom.”
“Shalom.”
Now, I’ll be the first to tell you that these words were not necessarily the ones spoken by many of the Jews listening to Jesus on that particular day. But, I imagine it’s pretty close to what they might have said. Scripture tells us the Jews “quarreled among themselves.” They were indeed troubled by what Jesus was telling them.
Why were they troubled? Because they knew Jesus to be a “purposeful speaker.” He said what He meant, and He meant what He said.
After all, Jesus was the One who said, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.” And, “I and the Father are one.” And “I AM.” And now, He was saying, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.” Truly, these were hard words.
But, like our Jewish kibitzers asked earlier, could Jesus have been speaking symbolically? Could He have simply meant that we need only to profess our faith in Him and follow His commandments to gain eternal life? The Church says, “No. Jesus was speaking literally.”
In fact, if you read on in John’s Gospel, you find that many of the Jews turn and walk away, perhaps leaving Jesus and his teachings forever. If they were just mistaken, wouldn’t Jesus have called them back…”Oh, come on guys, you misunderstood me. I didn’t mean it literally!”
But, that’s not what He said. In fact, again…and again…He made His point simpler…and harder… “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.” Many walked away that day…and He let them go.
They were not willing to share in the “fullness of the Truth” that He offered them; the fullness to be found only in the willing participation of the Sacrament of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.
This is Communion; Communion with the Church; Communion with the Body of Christ; Communion with the one, true God. Indeed, Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist…body, blood, soul and divinity.
And the Church has always taught this from the earliest of days. St. Ignatius of Antioch said in the year 110, only 70 or 80 short years after Jesus’ Ascension, “Heretics abstain from the Eucharist, because they do not believe it to be the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ.”
He believed in the True Presence.
And, St. Justin Martyr said in the year 150, “For we do not receive these things as common bread and common drink…, [but, as] the Flesh and Blood of the Incarnate Jesus.”
He believed in the True Presence.
Tradition tells us the story of a very young man during the late third century. His name was Tarcisius, now St. Tarcisius of Rome. There are several accounts of his martyrdom, but the one I like goes like this…
During those days, many were imprisoned by the Roman government and were awaiting martyrdom for their profession of faith in Jesus and His Catholic Church. And, at that time, prisons didn’t serve meals. Therefore, it fell to the community to bring these prisoners their daily meals, and if they could, their “daily bread” in the form of the Eucharist.
One day, Tarcisius, who was only about 13 years old at the time, volunteered to smuggle in the forbidden Eucharist to these pending martyrs by hiding it in a bucket of cooked fish. Unfortunately, on his way, he was discovered, and as he fled for his life, he accidentally dropped the bucket. Rather than continue to run, he stopped, went back for the bucket, and consumed the Eucharist, so that the Roman soldiers could not desecrate it. Tarcisius was martyred on the spot.
Obviously, he truly believed in the True Presence.
Sadly, though, many today do not believe. Or, at least, many have lost their “passion” for belief. Now, God is not necessarily asking each of us to be like St. Tarcisius; to die at the hands of pagans in order to show our belief.
But, He does ask something of us every day.
Reverence.
Do you remember your Confirmation preparation?
That’s where we learned about the Spiritual gift of wonder and awe, or “Fear of the Lord” for you old-schoolers out there. And where we can best practice the gift of wonder and awe is in reception of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. But we have to ask ourselves…do we truly feel wonder and awe? Do we have a genuine sense of reverence?
As Catholics, we use our bodies in the worship of God.
We see it all through Holy Mass. We genuflect whenever we enter or exit our pew. We stand, sit and kneel as a Spirit-filled community. We lovingly extend the sign of peace to our family and neighbors around us. We are as much about what we do, as we are about what we think and feel.
And this is where reverence comes into play. We show reverence to God in how we do what we do – with Him and for Him. So, let’s ask ourselves. How do we do what we do?
Do we remember to fast from all food and drink, including coffee, gum and mints, one full hour before receiving communion? Do we genuflect each time we pass before the Tabernacle? Do we spend time in reverent silence in the Church before and after Mass? And do we respect those that wish to? When we receive Communion, do we do so with a mouth open wide, or hands solemnly outstretched in order to create a human throne for our Lord and our God? And, are our hands clean? Are we properly attired for Mass? We routinely dress up for the weddings of friends and family, but do we not offer the same respect for the Wedding Feast of the Lamb of God?
That’s what we do every Sunday…and every time we attend Mass.
When we process forward to receive the Eucharist, we say “Amen…I believe.”
I believe in Jesus Christ!
Amen…I believe that God sent His Son to save me!
Amen…I believe in the Catholic Church and all that she teaches!
Amen…I believe that the Lord of Lords and King of Kings who will reign for all eternity in Heaven, has humbled Himself and is truly and really present here in this Eucharist.
Amen…I believe.
The Eucharist is a most awesome gift of God. A gift freely given for the betterment of all the Body of Christ. In just a few moments, By the will of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the priest will make Jesus truly present as he says the words, “This is my Body, “ and “This is my Blood.”
Let us be attentive…
Like the Jews of 2000 years ago, we may ask, “Did you hear him? What did he say?”
But, we, Lord willing, know the answer.