18th Sunday, Come to Mass, Eucharist is the Bread from Heaven

             

Today’s readings are about grumbling and also about Jesus in the Eucharist, the “Bread of Life”.

The context of the first reading from Exodus is that the Israelites had escaped from Egypt and were wandering in the desert heading toward the Promised Land. They had been slaves in Egypt, and worked hard all day for their food and were treated terribly. Now that the Lord had freed them from the bondage of their slavery, they began to reminisce about the food they used to eat. The food in the desert was simple and bland, unlike the food they ate even while they were slaves. And so they began to grumble against Moses. They said, “Would that we had died at the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread. But you lead us into this desert to make the whole community die of famine.”

The Lord God heard their complaints and their grumbling and so God told Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you.” In the morning they will have bread to eat which will appear on the ground and in the evening quail would come to the camp for them to eat.

In the Gospel today, even though the people had just witnessed the miracle of Jesus multiplying the bread and fish, they grumbled because they wanted more than the sign of getting fed food to nurture their bodies. They said, “What sign can you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” They began to grumble and wanted another sign as proof that they should follow Jesus. The sign of food for the body was not enough. They wanted another sign, to give them the proof they needed to follow Jesus. Their hearts were searching for something more than ordinary food.

That’s why Jesus said, “Amen, Amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven and gives life to the world.” They then told Jesus, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Our Blessed Lord wanted to point out He Himself was the sign which is much greater than the multiplication of the bread and fish. He will multiply His presence in the Eucharist so that all who receive the Eucharist will have eternal life. The bread given to their ancestors through Moses-- kept them alive in this life, but the He Himself which is the Bread from Heaven, will give them something much greater, which is eternal life.

Jesus wanted them to know that He Himself is the sign. That is why He said, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” If they come to Jesus and if they receive Jesus in Eucharist, they will have their sign and no longer look for the things of the world, but rather will look to the things of heaven.

Today, the more often we receive Jesus in Holy Communion, the less we will hunger and thirst for the things of the world and the more we hunger for the things of heaven. That is why we should do all we can to come to Mass every day in order to receive Jesus in Holy Communion.

In the Pieta Prayer book it quotes many people and gives reasons why we should come to Mass every day.

Here are some quotes from the book. Pope Paul VI said, “The Mass is the most perfect form of prayer.” St. Gertrude the Great said, “For each Mass we hear with devotion, Our Lord sends a saint to comfort us at death.” She also said, “Each time we look at the Most Blessed Sacrament our place in heaven is raised forever.” St. Padre Pio said, “Every Holy Mass, heard with devotion, produces in our souls marvelous effects, abundant spiritual and material graces which we, ourselves, do not know. It is easier for the earth to exist without the sun than without the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.” St. John Vianney said, “if we knew the value of the Mass, we would die for joy.” Pope Benedict the XV said,“The Holy Mass would be of greater profit if people had it offered in their lifetime, rather than having it celebrated for the relief of their souls after death.” Once St. Teresa of Avila was overwhelmed with God’s goodness and asked Our Lord: “How can I thank you?” Our Lord replied, “Attend one Mass.” The Blessed Virgin Mary once told Her faithful servant, Blessed Alain, “My son so loves those who assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass that, if it were necessary, He would die for them as many times as they have heard Masses.”

We are also taught our prayers are the strongest at the moment of the Consecration, when the chalice and the Host is elevated above the altar.

If we find our self grumbling--- like our ancestors in the desert--- or grumble like those who had just witnessed the miracle of the loaves--- and we continue to search for a sign that will satisfy our hunger, we only need to turn to Jesus in the Eucharist and to come to Mass every day.

The word Eucharist means “thanksgiving.” The remedy for grumbling and complaining is to be thankful.

After every time we receive Jesus in Holy Communion, we should thank Him for coming inside our heart and allowing us to be at Holy Mass in the presence of the Holy Sacrifice, as Calvary is re-presented on the altar.

Then our grumbling will cease because we will discover that only Jesus satisfies all our needs. Though we may have all sorts of problems, anxieties, fears and sufferings, and though we look to the world to satisfy our every desire, only Jesus in the Eucharist can quench our thirst and satisfy our hunger and longing---- and then we will no longer complain.

How can we complain if we have Jesus? Is there is anything greater than God Himself, who comes to dwell within our heart and promises spiritual food, the bread from heaven, that will give us eternal life.

Today, let us turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary and ask Her for the grace to come to Mass as often as we can throughout the week, to receive Jesus, Her Son and if we do, we will respond to the words of Jesus, who said, “I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”