How to eat Jesus' Flesh and Drink His wine?

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Easter Season: Third Week : Friday*

*Gospel : Jn 6:52-59*

*First Reading : Acts 9:1-20*

*How to eat Jesus' Flesh and Drink His wine?*

*1) Eating Flesh and Drinking blood*

In the Gospel of the day Jesus says *unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you.*

Because of this view there was a quarrel among the Jews about this view. They questioned about this view by asking *“How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?*

Eating flesh and drinking blood is something, which is beyond our imagination

In normal understanding we cant accept this view. Jesus understood this view in the literal way. That is why they found difficult to accept it 

*2) Beyond the Literal way*

Jesus is inviting all of us to have a deeper understanding of this view 

Beyond the literal way there is a spiritual or eternal way, which help us to understand the this particular way 

*3) Various ways of eating the flesh and drinking the Blood of Jesus*

We drink the blood and eat the flesh of Jesus through the following things 

Forgiveness

Service

Sacrifice

Unconditional love 

Humility

Sharing

Generosity

Simplicity

Faithfulness

Praying for the persecutors

Loving enemies

Helping others 

When we practice these Gospel values in our day today life, we eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus 

*4) Have I tasted the blood and flesh of Jesus*

Jesus has given us His body and blood as the life giving and eternal food

But the question is, have I tasted this food, which Jesus has given me? 

To taste this food, one needs to prepare himself/herself in mind and heart, which will help the person to enjoy this food 

One who tastes this food, will always search for this food, because it gives a special taste to those who eat it 

*5) Challenging process of preparing the flesh and blood*

First of all, to eat the flesh, it has to be cut into pieces 

Secondly, to drink blood, it has to be collected from the flesh 

This is a challenging task. Jesus has done this. 

Even to practice the Gospel values, one has to go through the process of preparing the flesh and collecting the blood from the flesh 

This needs a sacrificing ones life for the other 

Am I ready to go through this process? 

Like Jesus, am I ready to give my flesh and blood to others, through sacrifice, service, generosity, forgiveness etc?? 

*Think about it*

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

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*