Dear People of God,

Last week, we had seen how the Jews began to murmur and complain about Jesus because He said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." This week, Jesus took one step further by saying, "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you". Their murmuring has now gradually escalated into quarreling among themselves. They are confused and angry at what they have heard. To them, Jesus is a stumbling block; but to those who believe, the broken body and shed blood of Jesus is our life eternal.

The expression 'to eat His flesh' and 'to drink His blood' must not be taken with a crude literalism. 'Body and blood' stand for the whole person. When we eat the bread and drink the wine of the Eucharist, we are not receiving a body and blood. We are receiving a person, living person. Through the Eucharist a spiritual bond is forged between us and Jesus. The Eucharist enables us to grow in intimacy and friendship with the Lord. And through our shared intimacy with Jesus in communion, we are united also with one another, something which we must try to live out in our ordinary lives through mutual love, forgiveness and concern.

Once St. Francis of Assisi was attacked by robbers. They not only used to rob but also sometimes even kill people. Francis could make out that they were hungry. He spoke to them kindly, brought them food and shared it with them. Then he invited them to the Friary for a meal. The hospitality, love and kindness they experienced changed their heart. It started with a meal shared in love.

The meal shared is a sign of friendship and love. In the Eucharist Jesus invites us to the meal prepared by himself. It is the supreme expression of his love for us. This is why Pope Benedict gave the title "Sacrament of Love" [Sacramentum caritatis] to his Apostolic Exhortation on the Eucharist (22 February 2007).

Jesus left us his own self in the Eucharist to strengthen and heal us. One who has tasted His abiding love would never say: "His words are hard to realize, to observe, to keep", but will find in them words of eternal life, true satisfaction, special relationship with God, and also purpose and direction for our life. Let this Eucharistic meal make us one with the Lord and one another.

God bless us all.

Father Lawrence