Friar’s Corner: Jesus, our best food

Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a; Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; John 6:51-58

The Eucharist is one of the most amazing, beautiful, awesome and powerful gifts God offers us. Let us unpack it a little. When Jesus’ followers watched Him praying to His Father, they asked Him to teach them how to pray. Jesus taught them the Lord’s Prayer, Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4. For today’s Feast of the Eucharist, the most important line they didn’t understand then is: “Give us this day our daily bread,” Mt 6:11. In Lk 11:3, we read: “Give us each day our daily bread.” Those who have been enlightened by the Holy Spirit have come to take these words of Jesus seriously and, before this Coronavirus, come very frequently to the “greatest meal on earth,” daily Mass. They have been blessed by this in the past and are more than delighted to be able to receive Jesus in the Eucharist each day again.

There are levels of knowledge and understanding in our life. We can know the physical reality around us and then there is a spiritual or God-given understanding. St. John wrote his gospel on those two levels. We refer to Jesus’ celebration of the Passover meal before He suffered and died on the cross. He should have said a common Jewish prayer over the bread and wine. Jesus did not do that. He took the bread, thanked His Father, broke the bread and shocked everyone, except Mary. “Take this and eat; this is my body,” Matthew 26:26c. And the same with the cup of wine;

Then He took a cup, and after offering thanks He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from this, all of you, For this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins,”  (Matthew 26:26-27) 

Two happenings in the Eucharist

As the Holy Spirit continued to instruct and remind John, the early followers and us, we have continued to do, for almost two thousand years now, what God has told us to do. Two main things happen at each Eucharistic meal. First, we are instructed on how to live our Catholic, Christian life. Second, we break bread and change a cup of wine, using the current formula the church gives us, which Jesus used over the bread and wine. These elements are changed into the real Body and Blood of Jesus yet still look like a small wafer of bread and cup of wine, which still tastes like wine. This is daily food, for those who come to receive Jesus this way. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28,

Come to me, all you who are weary and overburdened, and I shall give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

As I have now been celebrating Eucharist for one month less than fifty years, I have grown much in my understanding of this great mystery. The Mass is our greatest teaching tool. If we would use a phrase, after communion, from one of our Christmas carols, ‘O, come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord,” this would help the community present, stop and think. What just happened? Jesus just became present again; He is born again for us today. It is Christ-mass every day when Mass is celebrated.

St. Paul hands it on

One important text that St. Paul gives us is very helpful on this great feast.

“I received from the Lord what I handed on to you, namely that the Lord Jesus on the night in which He was betrayed took bread, and after He had given thanks, broke it and said, ‘This is My Body, which is for you.’ Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way after the supper, He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My Blood.’ Do this whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me,” (1 Corinthians 11:23-25)

This is clear and very direct.

I could say more and books have been written on what all this means. God fed the Jews in the desert with manna. Psalm 147 today, “With the best of wheat He fills us,” our daily bread. At the wedding of Cana in John 2, they had run out of wine. Mary told Jesus and He changed water into the best wine. We use up, give away our previous bread and wine. What does Jesus continue to do all over the world each day? He changes a little bread and wine, as our daily best food. It is full of God-power to equip us to go forth into the world bringing the love of Jesus to others. What about all of those people all over the world who are caring for coronavirus victims? Aren’t they all reaching out with the hands of Jesus to heal and comfort? Receive and go forth to help heal the suffering.

Have a blessed week,

+ Father Bob Hilz
fbhilz@gmail.com

(© 2020 Father Bob Hilz, TOR)