Wednesday, May 11, 2011

The Bread of God: Proof of God in the Flesh






Today's Mass gospel text is John 6:35-40.

"I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst." v. 35

Christ proves that He is food for the soul by making Himself apparent bodily food--taking the form of bread and wine: "My flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." v. 56 The accidents of bread and wine are indeed present with all of their nutritive qualities while being really and substantially the Flesh and Blood of Christ. That is why He calls it "the Bread of God."v.33 It has all of the physical properties of bread but is really and essentially the incarnated God Himself, Christ, and only apparently bread.

This apparent food is a sign of the true spiritual food which is Christ Himself, personally present and given, for the person (body and soul) of the believer who worthily receives the Lord sacramentally. The Eucharist is God's Flesh and Blood, the living Person of Jesus Christ our Lord.