The Bread which came down from Heaven
Dear Family of Mary!
As we continue in John’s Gospel (6:52-59), Jesus hammers away at the reality of eating His flesh and drinking His blood. He insists upon it over and over, at least 6 times in this short paragraph! Why would Jesus be so insistent and graphic about eating His Flesh and drinking His Blood?
I seems to me that He did not want any discussion about it later, no dumbing down of what the Eucharist is. As horrific as it appears, He would not back down. We must eat His Flesh and drink His Blood if we want to have life within us:
The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying,
“How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
So Jesus said to them,
“Truly, truly, I say to you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man
and drink his blood,
you have no life in you;
he who eats my flesh
and drinks my blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him up at the last day.
For my flesh is food indeed,
and my blood is drink indeed.
He who eats my flesh
and drinks my blood
abides in me,
and I in him.
As the living Father sent me,
and I live because of the Father,
so he who eats me will live because of me.
This is the bread which came down from heaven,
not such as the fathers ate and died;
he who eats this bread will live for ever.”
This he said in the synagogue, as he taught at Caper’na-um. (John 6:52-59)
I always wonder how this must have sounded to Our Lady. This tender Mother who would die for her Child, must accept without understanding the most barbaric of notions: That Jesus’ followers would have to eat His Flesh and drink His Blood if they wanted to abide in Her Son. This was the leap of faith that she was most equipped to make, but which must of cost her a great deal.
We get a clue as to her pure hearted response to the Eucharist in messages like this one:
May 2, 2018
“Dear children,
all that my Son, who is the light of love,
has done and does,
He has done out of love.
Also you, my children,
when you live in love and love your neighbors,
you are doing the will of my Son.
Apostles of my love,
make yourselves little;
open your pure hearts to my Son
so that He can work through you.
With the help of faith,
be filled with love.
But, my children, do not forget
that the Eucharist is the heart of faith.
This is my Son
who feeds you with His Body
and strengthens you with His Blood.
This is a miracle of love:
my Son who always comes anew,
alive,
to bring life back to souls.
My children,
by living in love you are doing the will of my Son
and He lives in you.
My children,
my motherly desire is for you to always love Him more,
because He is calling you with His love.
He is giving you love
so that you may spread it to all those around you.
As a mother,
through His love,
I am with you
to speak the words of love and hope to you –
to speak to you the eternal words
that are victorious over time and death –
so as to call you to be my apostles of love.
Thank you.”
Can we say “yes” to Jesus and to Mary? Do we love them with complete love and trust?
So Jesus said to them,
“Truly, truly, I say to you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man
and drink his blood,
you have no life in you;
Here is the prayer to Our Lady we are praying every day in May!
Litany to the Holy Name of Mary
In Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
