Today's Gospel Reading - Sunday, August 19, 2012 with Reflection

1^ST READING - Proverbs 9:1-6  

P S A L M - Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

R: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

1 [2] I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. 2 [3] Let my soul glory in the Lord; the lowly will hear me and be glad. (R) 3 [4] Glorify the Lord with me, let us together extol his name. 4 [5] I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. (R) 5 [6] Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. 6 [7] When the poor one called out, the Lord heard, and from all his distress he saved him. (R)

2^ND READING - Ephesians 5:15-20

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him, says the Lord.

John 6:51-58

51 Jesus said to the crowds: “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.” 52 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

SABBATH

HEALTHY NOURISHMENT The Jews were horrified by the words of Jesus. It sounded as if Jesus is encouraging cannibalism. For the Jews, blood was the seat of life and it was sacred. To drink blood, therefore, was blasphemy for them. But pagans would have understood. They were used to offering animals in their temples. Some of the flesh were burned; some were given to the priests, and the rest to those who had offered it. They would then eat it in the temple precinct. Since the flesh had been offered to a god, they believed that the god had entered it. Eating this sacrificed meat would mean to become filled with their god. For pagans who became Christians, the words of Jesus would not have been scandalous; they would have understood what Jesus meant. But, like the Jews, some Christians today have difficulty taking to heart the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. They say it is only a symbol of Christ. But no, never did Jesus hint that the Eucharistic bread would be a symbol. Never did He say, “Eat that bread which is a symbol of me!” No, He could not have made it clearer when He said in today’s Gospel passage, “The bread I shall give is my flesh.” And during the Last Supper, “Take this and eat it: this is my body.” Jesus desired to be totally united with His disciples, with us, in the most intimate way. He wanted to become part of us so that we would become part of Him, so that we would be filled with His divinity. There is a saying, “We become what we eat.” If kids eat only junk food, they will not grow up healthy. If one eats only meat, he will have to consult the doctor soon. A healthy person is a person who eats healthy food and observes a well-balanced diet. May the Eucharist never become a ritual or a custom but a source of a healthy spiritual life, a union with our Lord and Savior who fills us with His divinity and so prepares us for eternal life. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Do you prepare yourself well before receiving holy communion? Are you aware that you become a living tabernacle when you receive Him? Lord, thank You for the greatest gift You could give us: Yourself in the Holy Eucharist. Help me to receive You always consciously and so be filled with Your divinity. St. John Eudes, priest, pray for us. Do you want to receive this in your email?  To get Bo Sanchez to send it to you personally, log-on to http://kerygmafamily.com. Lots of surprises await.