Gospel – John 6:51-58

Jesus said to the Jewish crowds:
“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 Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
“How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
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.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food,
and my blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
remains in me and I in him.
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.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

Reflection on the Gospel

Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God.

“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.”

St. John’s gospel reminds us that we can only receive salvation through the Eucharist, which St. John Baptiste De La Salle refers to in his meditations as not only bread but a “divine meat” to nourish our souls. He continues for several meditations during the Octave of the Blessed Sacrament to explain over and over again the necessity and importance of receiving communion as the means to heavenly salvation.

While our students have departed for summer vacation and we also take some much needed time to recuperate from the wear and tear of teaching, we are reminded that the salvation of our students is the fundamental tenet of a Lasallian education. St. John Baptiste De La Salle believed in both a spiritual salvation through Christ and a salvation from poverty through a practical education.

Two years ago, I decided to attend morning mass rather than the customary fasting for Lent, which never seemed to work for me. I found the practice of receiving daily communion so fulfilling that mass continues to be an essential part of each school day. As the Founder writes, “In [the Eucharist] you find relief in your difficulties, strength in your temptations not to succumb to them, and an easy way to attain virtue. Do not neglect so holy a practice.” (MFR 54.1)

It is through our own communion with Christ in the Eucharist that we are strengthened in our mission to save those entrusted to our care.

Mr. Colin Crawford
Lasallian Animator and Social Studies Department Chair
St. John’s College High School – Washington, DC

Saint John Baptist de La Salle – Pray for us.
Live, Jesus, in our hearts – Forever.