Today’s gospel reading marks the beginning of the Bread of Life Discourse. After the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, the crowd was so drawn to Jesus that they crossed the sea on the very next day in search of Him. They did this not because of the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves, but because they ate the loaves and were filled. Still, when they found Jesus, they asked for yet another miracle so that they might believe.

We are all drawn to the Bread that fills us with Eternal Life. This sign, this miracle that we all seek, is made present at every Mass, as the Word is made Flesh at the hands of our priests, and we are filled with the Son of God at every Eucharistic reception. Do we have the faith to know and the faith to share this miraculous gift?

Saint Augustine stated perfectly, “God, in his omnipotence, could not give more; in his wisdom, he knew not how to give more; in his riches, he had not more to give than the Eucharist.”

The feeding of the five thousand and the resurrection of Jesus are the only two miracles recorded in all four Gospels. Not a coincidence. The first leads to the ‘spoken word’ of the Bread of Life discourse. The second miracle of miracles results in the incomparable gift of the Eucharist, ‘the word made flesh, ’ sacrificed and gloriously resurrected and given for the life of the world. The only Bread that truly satisfies.

Following the example of Saint Eymard, may we keep “the word” of the Bread of Life Discourse always close to our hearts. In addition, we should desire that, with every Eucharistic reception, His very heart become one flesh with ours — never to be separated!

Prayer:

Almighty, ever-living God, who restore us to eternal life in the Resurrection of Christ, increase in us, we pray, the fruits of this Paschal Sacrament and pour into our hearts the strength of this saving food. (Prayer after Communion)