Do you doubt the Eucharist?
Catechism Meditation:
The first announcement of the Eucharist divided the disciples, just as the announcement of the Passion scandalized them: “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” The Eucharist and the Cross are stumbling blocks. It is the same mystery and it never ceases to be an occasion of division. “Will you also go away?”: the Lord’s question echoes through the ages, as a loving invitation to discover that only he has “the words of eternal life” and that to receive in faith the gift of his Eucharist is to receive the Lord himself. ―No. 1336
REFLECTION. John 6 is a theological summit. It begins with one of Jesus’ most famous miracles—the multiplication of the loaves—but ends with many walking away. Why? Because Jesus speaks plainly about the Eucharist, calling Himself the Bread of Life and insisting that His flesh is true food and His blood true drink. This is the only chapter in the Gospels where Jesus explicitly explains the mystery of the Eucharist—and He does not soften the message. For Catholics, this chapter is foundational to our understanding of the Real Presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.
The teaching on the Eucharist in John 6 churns-up a variety of emotions. Anger, among those who take umbrage at Jesus’ claim to be the Bread of Life come down from heaven, and the implicit claim that he has come from God. This teaching also foreshadows Judas’ ultimate betrayal of Jesus which began on Holy Thursday, the very day Jesus instituted the Eucharist as the “new covenant in my blood” (Lk 22:20).
We Catholics have the unbelievable privilege of truly receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus at Holy Mass. And even though we may hear an echo “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it” (Jn 6:60) from voices not in harmony with the Church on this critical teaching concerning the real presence (Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity) of Jesus in the Eucharist, we must cling to this teaching of Jesus like Peter did when the Lord asked him if he also wanted to leave the Lord over this doctrine, saying, like Peter, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life” (Jn 6:68).
PRAYER. My God, I believe that You are truly present under the appearance of bread. Help me to please You by being truly present to You, with my heart in the heart of Mary, trusting, rejoicing, and giving thanks.
Timeless Wisdom Quote:
“The Eucharist is so essential to our one-ness with Christ that as soon as Our Lord announced It in the Gospel, It began to be the test of the fidelity of His followers. First, He lost the masses, for it was too hard a saying and they no longer followed Him. Secondly, He lost some of His disciples: “They walked with Him no more.” Third, it split His apostolic band, for Judas is here announced as the betrayer.” ― Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen