Memory of Jesus crucified

Reading of the Word of God

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

This is the Gospel of the poor,
liberation for the imprisoned,
sight for the blind,
freedom for the oppressed.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

John 6,52-59

Then the Jews started arguing among themselves, 'How can this man give us his flesh to eat?' Jesus replied to them: In all truth I tell you, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise that person up on the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in that person. As the living Father sent me and I draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me will also draw life from me. This is the bread which has come down from heaven; it is not like the bread our ancestors ate: they are dead, but anyone who eats this bread will live for ever. This is what he taught at Capernaum in the synagogue.

 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

The Son of Man came to serve,
whoever wants to be great
should become servant of all.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

This Gospel passage brings us into the second part of Jesus' speech in the synagogue at Capernaum about the bread of life. When the audience hear Jesus' words requiring their involvement in Jesus' mystery, they interrupted him and began to mutter words against him: "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" They feel satiated with their life, even if this is not true. Whoever feels sated does not ask for anything. In truth, even if we were sated and surrounded by many good things, such as food and words, we would still be hungry, hungry for happiness and love, attention and support. We should imitate more the poor who stretch their hands and ask for help insistently. In a supposedly self-satisfied and consumerist society, which is in fact fragile and full of fears, the poor can become teachers of a new life. They reveal what we secretly are -that is, beggars of love and attention. The poor are hungry, not only for bread, but also for love. And so are we. Jesus continues to say to us: "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you." To have life it is not enough to want or to understand; it is necessary to eat, nourish ourselves with the Gospel and the love of our brothers and sisters. We need to become beggars for the bread that the world does not know how to produce and in any case, does not know how to give. The Eucharist is given freely to us, and all are able to partake in it. And each time we do it, we anticipate heaven on earth. Around the altar, we find that which takes away our hunger and thirst today and for all of eternity. From this food, we learn what eternal life is, that for which life is worth living: "Whoever eats me will live because of me."