Friday of the 3rd Week
of Easter
April 24, 2015 8:30am
Today’s gospel passage is about the
bread of life, the Eucharist.
We hear this during the Easter
season, because Jesus speaks of how intimately connected the Eucharist is with
the resurrected life that he offers us.
We can see almost a logical, and
definitely a beautiful progression in this passage about the life that Jesus
gives us.
I see a four-step progression.
First, Jesus declares that
he has received his life from the Father:
“Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the
Father…”
Next, Jesus says that it
is this life that he now gives to those who feed on his flesh and drink his
blood:
“Just as… I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds
on me will have life because of me.”
Then Jesus explains that it
is through this common sharing of life that he remains in us and we remain in
him.
There is an abiding presence:
“Whoever eat my Flesh and drinks my Blood remain in me and I in them.”
Finally, this life that Jesus
gives us is both a present and a future reality:
“Those who eat my Flesh and drink my Blood have eternal life.”
So, we have eternal life, God’s
life right now – in the present moment.
But still, Jesus goes on to say, “I will raise them on the last day.”
So there is a future, a
perfection or fulfillment to the eternal or divine life that we already share.
There will be a resurrection for
us as there was for Jesus.
We keep these beautiful,
comforting thoughts and this revelation in mind as we now approach this Easter
sacrament, the Holy Eucharist.
