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Gospel Reading for April 18, 2024 – John 6: 44-51
GREAT GIFT
Jesus said to the crowds: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. It is written in the prophets: They shall all be taught by God. Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.”
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Nowadays, more and more people think that online masses are sufficient to fulfill one’s Sunday obligation, just because it was the practice during the pandemic. Unless we see the real value of the Eucharistic Celebration, we will see it as just an obligation. But of course, we are obliged to come to Church because the Church is not an individual, but the people of God gathered around the table of the Lord, together asking for forgiveness, together glorifying God, together listening to, and pondering on, his Word, together petitioning for the needs of the community, together receiving Christ’s body, and together thanking God for the countless blessings received from him each day. Hence, online masses are for those who are physically unable to come to Church, affording them a chance to take part in spirit.
Perhaps this attitude comes from not realizing the GREAT GIFT that Jesus gave us during the Last Supper: “Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, 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: 26-28). Jesus made sure that although he had gone back to the Father, by sending the Holy Spirit, he will still be present among us. This is why lay ministers are sent off before the end of the Eucharist, to give communion to the sick so that their desire to receive Jesus in the form of bread may be filled despite their inability to come to Church.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for this GREAT GIFT!
