JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE

XX SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

The discourse of Jesus on the bread of life presents the teaching on the mystery of the Eucharist and indicates the beliefs of the first century Christians on the Eucharist.

There is no doubt that from apostolic times the Christians celebrated the Eucharist and this practice differentiated them from the Jews. In Jerusalem, they used to go to the Temple and everywhere else to the synagogue, but then they would meet in their houses to break the bread (Act 2:42). And we have an account of the celebration of the Eucharist by Paul at Troas (Act 20:7-11), in which we find the basic structure of the Eucharist with the celebration of the word and the breaking of the bread (the Supper of the Lord).

In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul gives us the liturgical setting of the Eucharist (1 Co 11:23-25) and the doctrine about the Eucharist, in which he affirms the fundamental belief that in the Eucharist we receive the body and the blood of Christ: 

“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?” (1 Co 10:16).

The Gospel of John in chapter 6 deals at length with the same basic truth: the bread of life is the body of Christ, his flesh and his blood. Most of the disciples were unable to accept such doctrine and abandoned Jesus, asking themselves: “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (Jn 6:52). During the first centuries, the Christians were accused of cannibalism, due to false ideas about their beliefs in the Eucharist.

Jesus makes it very clear that he is the bread of life, and that we must eat this bread to have eternal life. And the bread of life which he was going to give is his body, his flesh and his blood. Whenever we celebrate the Eucharist, obeying Jesus’ command, we repeat his words and we receive his body, the food that gives us the strength to walk towards God’s own dwelling. Receiving his body, we are transformed, becoming one with Christ.

“Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.” (Jn 6:56-57).