Every Sunday, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click HERE for the readings.
Fresh bread has a way of drawing us in—the warm, yeasty aroma, the crust just out of the oven. It awakens our hunger.
But Jesus offers us something even greater. He offers us himself.
He calls himself the “living bread come down from heaven.”
In the Gospel, Jesus contrasts himself with the manna that fed the Israelites during their forty years in the desert. That bread sustained them for a time—but eventually, they died. The bread Jesus gives is different. It is not just for this life, but for eternal life: “Whoever eats this bread will live forever.”
That is why we are drawn to the Eucharistic table—because there, God gives us Life.
I often notice something beautiful when distributing Holy Communion. A parent comes forward holding a small child, and as the parent reaches out, the child does too. There is something instinctive there—a kind of hunger, a desire. Even from an early age, we are drawn to this mystery.
And what happens at Mass is truly extraordinary. We bring simple bread and wine to the altar, and Jesus returns them to us transubstantiated into his own risen and glorified Body and Blood. What a remarkable exchange.
This is why we long for the Eucharist.
We long for more than manna.
We long for more than this world can give.
We long for Christ.
In the Eucharist, the Lord feeds us in a way that gives us lasting hope—that those who receive him will share in his life forever. As Jesus says, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.”
May we never take this gift for granted. May we always be grateful that the Lord gives himself to us as our food.
Have a blessed week everyone.