John
6:52-59
An old illiterate woman
in a village was so poor that the priest had to bring her food each week. Then
he heard that she has a son in America who was successful in business. So he
asked if her son ever send her anything. She replied that she only send her the
same picture every month. She went to get a box with a stack of pictures which
were actually one hundred dollar bills. She was rich, but didn’t know it.
Many Catholics are like
that woman. They live in spiritual poverty, not knowing what wonderful riches
they have in the Holy Eucharist. They rarely attend Mass or if they do they do
not receive Holy Communion. What wasted opportunities! “If only you know the
gift of God,” Jesus told the woman at the well, (John 4:10).
In the gospel today Jesus
promises the Eucharist, “the source and summit of Christian life.” He insists
on its necessity, “Unless you eat…”Just as we need food to stay alive and
healthy, so we need spiritual food. At Communion, we receive not only the grace
of God, but God Himself, the giver of all grace. He promises life eternal and
union with Him and with our fellowmen.
St. Paul encountered
Christ on the road to Damascus which changed him forever. From a persecutor, he
was transformed into the most zealous and courageous apostle. We encounter the
same Christ at every Eucharistic celebration. May this encounter be so deep
that it changes us it did St. Paul.
The poor woman didn’t
realize what she was missing. How about us? Do we really value the Mass, Holy
Communion and visits to the Blessed Sacrament as opportunities to encounter
Christ, deepen our union with Him and our brothers and sisters and to gain
eternal life?
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