Welcome to our Bible Study

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ A18 June 2017

In preparation for this Sunday’s LiturgyAn aid in focusing our homilies and sharing

Prepared by Fr. Cielo R. Almazan, OFM

1st reading: Deuteronomy 8:2-3.14b-16a

Moses said to the people, “2 Remember how for forty years now the LORD, your God, has directed all your journeying in the desert, so as to test you by affliction and find out whether or not it was your intention to keep his commandments. 3 He therefore let you be afflicted with hunger, and then fed you with manna, a food unknown to you and your fathers, in order to show you that not by bread alone does man live, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the LORD. 14 Do not forget the LORD, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery; 15 who guided you through the vast and terrible desert with its saraph serpents and scorpions, its parched and waterless ground; who brought forth water for you from the flinty rock 16 and fed you in the desert with manna, a food unknown to your fathers. The focus is on the manna.

1st reading: Deuteronomy 8:2-3,14b-16a

Testing the people’s fidelity Moses said to the people, “2 Remember how for forty years now the

LORD, your God, has directed all your journeying in the desert, so as to test you by affliction and find out whether or not it was your intention to keep his commandments.

Manna 3 He therefore let you be afflicted with hunger, and then fed you with

manna, a food unknown to you and your fathers, in order to show you that not by bread alone does man live, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the LORD.

Water and manna 14 Do not forget the LORD, your God, who brought you out of the

land of Egypt, that place of slavery; 15 who guided you through the vast and terrible desert with its saraph serpents and scorpions, its parched and waterless ground; who brought forth water for you from the flinty rock 16 and fed you in the desert with manna, a food unknown to your fathers.

A simple outline!

1st reading: Deuteronomy 8:2-3,14b-16aTesting the people’s fidelity Moses said to the

people, “2 Remember how for forty years now the LORD, your God, has directed all your journeying in the desert, so as to test you by affliction and find out whether or not it was your intention to keep his commandments.

Manna 3 He therefore let you be

afflicted with hunger, and then fed you with manna, a food unknown to you and your fathers, in order to show you that not by bread alone does man live, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the LORD.

Commentary Moses reminds the Israelite people of their God. Their God is a historical God

Who gives direction during their journey in the desert For forty years (long years, one generation) v.2

V.2 gives the reason for testing the people by affliction: To find out if they have the intention to keep the

commandments or not. V.3 specifies the affliction: hunger. But God does not overkill. He feeds the hungry people

right away with manna (what is it, in Hebrew?). In Greek mythology, there is a similar food from heaven, called ambrosia (food of the gods).

V.3 describes the manna as an unknown food, never known or eaten by Adam and Eve nor by the patriarchs nor by their fathers in Egypt (450 years before the exodus).

V.3 gives the reason again for the testing: to show that not by bread alone, but by every word of God, does man lives.

V.3 does not rule out the material needs of the Israelites, but they should not stop at satisfying their material needs only.

Human beings need both material food and spiritual food (word of God).

. Water and manna 14 Do not forget the

LORD, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery; 15 who guided you through the vast and terrible desert with its saraph serpents and scorpions, its parched and waterless ground; who brought forth water for you from the flinty rock 16 and fed you in the desert with manna, a food unknown to your fathers.

In v.14, Moses reminds the Israelites of their God (like in v.2) who liberated them from

slavery in Egypt. who kept them safe as they

traversed the desert full of threats to their lives (fiery serpents and scorpions, parched and dry ground), v.15

who brought water from the rock

who fed the Israelites with manna, unknown to their ancestors. V.16

Reflections on the 1st reading We, Christians, should not shun afflictions (and

sufferings). They are God’s ways to test our fidelity and love for

Him. In building relationships, one must be willing to

stand the test and to suffer inconveniences. Only after standing the test that we become truly

satisfied, in a miraculous way. Do you run away from pains? Do you believe that God takes care of your material

and spiritual needs?

Responsorial Ps 147:12-13. 14-15. 19-20R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.12 Glorify the Lord, O Jerusalem, praise your God of Zion13 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; he has blessed your children within you.

14 He has granted peace in your borders, with the best of wheat he fills you15 He sends forth his command to the earth, swiftly runs his word.

19 He has proclaimed his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel. 20 He has not done thus for any other nation. His ordinances he has not made known to them.

Responsorial Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.12 Glorify the Lord, O Jerusalem, praise your God of Zion13 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; he has blessed your children within you.

14 He has granted peace in your borders, with the best of wheat he fills you15 He sends forth his command to the earth, swiftly runs his word.

19 He has proclaimed his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel. 20 He has not done thus for any other nation. His ordinances he has not made known to them.

Commentary The psalm is classified as hymn of

praise. In v.12, the psalmist exhorts the

whole city of Jerusalem to praise and glorify God.

V.13 gives the reason why: he makes the city so secure and blesses the children (secures the incoming generation).

Vv.14-20 continue enumerating the reasons why we should praise God: Peace in the borders (security) Best wheat (high quality food) Law (gives order to the community

Reflections on the Psalm God deserves all our praises. Thanking, glorifying and praising God are all the same act we can

render to him. We too can make a long list of what God has done for us. If we are OK now, secure, things are going right and our children

are healthy, it is a sign that God is blessing us. We return to God by thanking him for these.

God is concerned not only with our personal well-being but also that of the whole city and the whole nation.

If we don’t feel OK, we should ask God for his intervention.

2nd reading: 1 Corinthians 10:16-17

16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

The focus is on the eucharist.

2nd reading: 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a

participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

Commentary The cup of blessing is the wine turned into the blood of Christ. The broken bread is the body of Christ. Our participation in the blood and body of Christ is our communion

with him. V.16 V.17 gives particular attention to the loaf simply because it can be

broken. It can become available for sharing.

Reflections on the 2nd reading The reading clearly talks about the body

and blood of Christ in the forms of the cup of blessing and the broken bread.

Eating and drinking of the body and blood of Christ is a participation in his life.

To participate in his life is to become united with one another as one bread.

Gospel reading: John 6:51-58 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven;

whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." 52 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?" 53 Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."

The focus is on the bread from heaven.

Gospel reading: John 6:51-58 The bread from heaven 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread

will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."

The reaction / misunderstanding 52 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us

(his) flesh to eat?" The flesh and the blood 53 Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of

the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.

Feeding on Jesus 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so

also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. The bread from heaven 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who

ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."

A simple outline!

Gospel reading: John 6:51-58 The bread from heaven 51 I am the living bread that

came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."

The reaction / misunderstanding

52 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?"

The flesh and the blood 53 Jesus said to them,

"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.

Commentary The reading is about the eucharist. It is described as the living bread from

heaven. V.51 It is a life-giving bread, so different

from the manna in the desert. The living bread is none other than

Jesus’ flesh. His flesh is meant to be consumed by

believers. V.52 indicates the adverse reaction of

the Jews (those who oppose Jesus). They object to His statement about the ‘flesh’ to eat. They feel it is impossible. Jesus’ statement is nonsense for them.

In v.53, Jesus insists on taking His flesh as food. Unless they receive Him, they cannot have eternal life.

Gospel reading: John 6:51-58 The flesh and the blood 54 Whoever eats my flesh and

drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.

Feeding on Jesus 57 Just as the living Father sent

me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.

The bread from heaven 58 This is the bread that came

down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."

V.54 repeats the necessity of eating His body and drinking his blood.

In v.55, Jesus claims that He is a true food, not fake.

V.56 reiterates the need to feed on Him.

V.57 states that Jesus comes from, from the living Father. Jesus’ life comes from the Father and is sustained by the Father.

People, too, can have the same experience of life, when they feed on Jesus.

V.58 goes back to the idea of v.51 (bread coming from heaven).

Those who are nourished by this bread will not die..

Pointedly, let us take a look at the reasons why we need to receive the eucharist.

Gospel reading: John 6:51-58 The bread from heaven 51 I am the living bread that came down from

heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."

The reaction / misunderstanding 52 The Jews quarreled among themselves,

saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?"

The flesh and the blood 53 Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to

you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.

Feeding on Jesus 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I

have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.

The bread from heaven 58 This is the bread that came down from

heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."

Here are the reasons why we should receive Jesus:

To live for ever. V.51 To have life within you. V.53 To have eternal life, to rise

on the last day. V.54 To remain in Jesus and

Jesus in us. V.56 To have life in the future.

V.57 To live forever. V.58

Take note of the underlined phrases.

Reflections on the gospel reading The message of the reading is clear. It is oft repeatedly stated, along with the reasons

behind. We must receive the body and blood to have life

eternal. If we don’t, we die. Do you receive Holy Communion frequently?

Tying the 3 readings and Psalm The first reading reminds the people of the manna in the

desert. The responsorial psalm exhorts us to praise God for

give us the best wheat (food). The second reading talks about the participation in the

eating and drinking of the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

The gospel reading talks about the importance of the eucharist.

How to develop your homily / sharing The preacher must develop the meaning of the

eucharist. The first reading prefigures the eucharist. It talks about

the bread from heaven. The second reading says that the eucharist is a

communion (participation). We, participants, become one body in the eucharist.

The third reading says that the eucharist brings us, believers, to life eternal.

The church has always emphasized that the eucharist is the center of our lives.

We center our lives on the eucharist. The church compels us to do our activities

(secular or religious) in preparation for the eucharist.

The church teaches us that the eucharist, as we receive it, should strengthen us in holiness as we live our lives in this world.

It is surprising that other religions or, sect (born-again Christians), who are against the Catholic Church, do not talk against the eucharist, although they do not practice it.

We, Catholics, should not take the eucharist for granted.

At all cost, we must remove all the things that hinder us from receiving holy communion.

We must be in the state of grace.

The church teaches that those who are living immoral lives, those civilly married, or, those who have committed grave sins, are not supposed to receive holy communion, otherwise, they commit sacrilege.

It insults the purpose of the eucharist. To give due respect to the eucharist, the

communicant must also observe the dress code specified by the church.

The eucharist is only good for practicing Catholics, and not for the violators of the laws of God and of the Church.

This feast day is a reminder to those who claim to love Jesus, but who are not receiving holy communion, to consider once more to remove the hindrances, in order to be in full communion with Jesus and with the Church, where they truly belong.

Set good example to your children, nephews and nieces.

Don’t take them for granted. Don’t force them to be like you, a hyprocrite.

We need a renewed catechism or doctrinal instruction to give importance to the reception of the sacrament over popular religiosity and devotion.

It is not a true representative of Christianity to allow folk religion or popular religiosity to have more prominence in our churches.

Many people go around for the Visita Iglesia on Holy Thursday, but they disappear when the Mass of the Lord’s Supper is held.

More people attend the Salubong than the Easter Eve celebrations.

The eucharist is first of all, a thanksgiving to God. (eucharisteo in Greek means I give thanks).

The body and blood of Jesus is God’s free gift to all of us, who conform to his will.

The eucharist is a sign of God’s desire and longing to be with us.

It is this sacrament that truly satisfies our spiritual hunger and thirst.

Our Context of Sin and Grace No respect for the

Mass Sacrilegious

reception of the sacrament

Misuse of the sacrament (pakain sa manok)

Stealing of the sacred hosts

Reverence to the Blessed Sacrament

Genuflection First Communion, Second

Communion, etc. Adoration of the Blessed

Sacrament Whole family going to mass Adoration chapels Believes in the Real Presence of

Christ in the consecrated host

Suggested Songs The Blessed Sacrament by Sebastian Temple God Gives His People Strength Sharing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1ij6D6EyeI Lord, I Know

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulqjOjYZOns One Bread One Body Our Blessing Cup

Dear sisters and brothers,

Let us predispose ourselves to receive our Lord Jesus Christ.

Fr. Cielo