Sustenance, sacrifice, and communion

Today’s Gospel (John 6:41-51) is a middle part of our Lord’s “Bread of Life” discourse. Especially when taken together with the other readings of the day (1 Kings 19:4-8 and Ephesians 4:30-5:2), three important aspects of the Eucharist are conveyed: sustenance, sacrifice, and communion.

The Eucharist sustains – “whoever eats this bread will live forever”.

The angel of the LORD came back a second time,
touched him, and ordered,
“Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you!”

The Eucharist is sacrifice and communion – “the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world”.

Brothers and sisters:
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,
with which you were sealed for the day of redemption.
All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling
must be removed from you, along with all malice.
And be kind to one another, compassionate,
forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.

So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love,
as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us
as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma