The Bread of Life involves our senses, our feelings, and our memories. On an unfortunate day, some teenagers had verbally assaulted a nine-year-old girl on her way to school. When she went home crying, her mother was baking. She found the house filled with the aroma of fresh-baked bread; and a piece for her on the table with some homemade strawberry jam. Her mother was right there, ready with her usual hug.
The love and acceptance of her family were still there despite the ill-treatment of the other girls. Later, when she heard her pastor quote Jesus saying, "I am the bread of life," she said to herself, "I know what this is all about!" The "Bread of Life" brought home to her one of her most delicious memories and the experience of warmth, acceptance, and unconditional love of her family. It involved all her senses, feelings, and a significant part of the memories of her heart.
Every time we celebrate the Eucharist, we tell the story of God’s-saving love for us. We recall the redemptive love of God that culminated in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. We remember Jesus, the "Bread of Life," who gave himself entirely for us and continues to give himself to us in the Eucharist. We experience the real presence of Jesus as we receive his body and blood. We experience communion with Jesus, who is risen and alive. As Jesus, "the Bread of Life" offered himself for us on the Cross, so he offers himself to us in this sacrament to be our food, our strength along the way.
The Eucharist is Jesus who gives himself entirely to us. To nourish ourselves with Him and abide in Him through Holy Communion, if we do it this with faith, transforms our life into a gift to God and our brothers … It also means that we enter into a dynamism of sacrificial love and become persons of peace, forgiveness, reconciliation, and sharing in solidarity. - Pope Francis
Jesus is the "Bread of Life" that quenches our thirst and satisfies our hunger. There is no better gift we could ever receive.
What should we do as families and individuals to experience the warmth, acceptance, and unconditional love of Christ, the "Bread of Life," more fully?
May God Bless Us All, Amen.
- Father Jilson's inspirational homily was recorded live this morning during Mass at the Father Peyton Center. Please view the video on our Facebook page. (You don't need a Facebook account to view.)
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To view Rosary prayer and Mass streaming live, please visit our Facebook page at 11:30 am EST, Monday – Friday. Please invite your loved ones to join us too! (You don't need a Facebook account to view.)
