'I am the living bread . . .' Sunday Reflections. Corpus Christi, 26 June 2011
El Greco, Altarpiece , 1597-99 Readings (New American Bible, used in the Philippines and the USA) Gospel John 6:51-58 (Jerusalem Bible, used in Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, Scotland) Jesus said to the Jews: ‘I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world.’ Then the Jews started arguing with one another: ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ they said. Jesus replied: ‘I tell you most solemnly, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you. Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him. As I, who am sent by the living Father, myself draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me w