Various Ways of Eating the Flesh and Drinking the Blood of Jesus

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Easter Season : Third Week : Friday*

*Gospel : Jn 6:52-59*

*First Reading : Acts 9:1-20*

*Various Ways of Eating the Flesh  and Drinking the Blood of Jesus*

*1) Eating the Flesh and Drinking the Blood*

The Gospel of the day has this powerful expression from Jesus 

Eating the Flesh and drinking the blood of Jesus 

Almost five to six times this particular expression is seen in today's Gospel

So How to understand this? How to eat the flesh and drink the Blood? 

*2) Taking Jesus into our Life*

Eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Jesus means, completely taking Jesus into our life 

This taking or receiving Jesus need not be in literal sense of eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Human Jesus 

Receiving of Jesus into our life can be at different level. We need to know the logic of this statement

*3) Various ways of Eating the Flesh and drinking the Blood of Jesus*

When some one is ready to forgive, its just like eating the flesh  and drinking blood of Jesus

When some one is ready to sacrifice His/Her life 

When some one is ready to humble oneself 

When someone is ready to serve the other 

When someone is ready to share with the other 

When some one is ready to love the other without any expectations

When one is ready to die for the sake of truth and justice

When one is ready to practice the sincerity

When one is ready to show compassion and mercy to the other 

When one is ready to work hard to achieve something in life 

All these are the various forms of eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Jesus 

*4) It Genataes new life within us*

Jesus says *Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal life*

This life can't be gained by anything unless we eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus through the above mentioned ways 

Eternal life, or life within is more important than the external or physical life 

Jesus' flesh and blood helps a person to develop the eternal life and the material life 

*5) Am I ready to eat the flesh and Drink the blood of Jesus?*

This particular task is very challenging and demanding

It is not so easy as we think. But it needs a lot of self discipline and commitment. 

So am I ready to accept this challenge? 

What are the above mentioned ways which I practice to eat the flesh and drink the blood?

*Think about it*

*God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*