Consumable Communion

In today’s Gospel (Jn. 6:52-59), our Lord comes to the climax of his “Bread of Life” discourse, with “hard sayings” that not everyone accepts.

The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

Then Jesus said unto them,
Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man,
and drink his blood,
ye have no life in you.

Whoso eateth my flesh,
and drinketh my blood,
hath eternal life;
and I will raise him up at the last day.

For my flesh is meat indeed,
and my blood is drink indeed.

He that eateth my flesh,
and drinketh my blood,
dwelleth in me,
and I in him.

As the living Father hath sent me,
and I live by the Father:
so he that eateth me,
even he shall live by me.

This is that bread
which came down from heaven:
not as your fathers did eat manna,
and are dead:
he that eateth of this bread
shall live for ever.

Believers recognize that what our Lord is offering is a tremendous gift: a very special communion with him that is very tangible, intimate, and life-giving.

St. Thomas Aquinas (naturally) put it very well

O sacrum convivium,
in quo Christus sumitur:
recolitur memoria passionis eius;
mens impletur gratia
et futurae gloriae
nobis pignus datur.

O sacred banquet,
in which Christ is received,
the memory of His Passion is renewed,
the mind is filled with grace,
and a pledge of future glory
given to us.

This also reminds me of yet another "coincidence" in connection with the passing of Pope John Paul II: that he should be called to heaven during this Year of the Eucharist that he himself had proclaimed. The words of his Apostolic Letter Mane Nobiscum Domine ("Stay with us, Lord") resonate.

"'O Sacrum Convivium, in quo Christus sumitur!'

"The Year of the Eucharist has its source in the amazement with which the Church contemplates this great Mystery. It is an amazement which I myself constantly experience. It prompted my Encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia.

"As I look forward to the twenty-seventh year of my Petrine ministry, I consider it a great grace to be able to call the whole Church to contemplate, praise, and adore in a special way this ineffable Sacrament. May the Year of the Eucharist be for everyone a precious opportunity to grow in awareness of the incomparable treasure which Christ has entrusted to his Church. May it encourage a more lively and fervent celebration of the Eucharist, leading to a Christian life transformed by love."