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Dispelling Confusion
Third Sunday of Easter (Year A)
That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. Luke 24:13–16
These two disciples were overwhelmed by grief and bewildered by the events that had taken place. As they walked the seven-mile journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus, they expressed their sadness and confusion. Jesus, Whom they had hoped “would be the one to redeem Israel,” was brutally tortured and crucified before their eyes. After His death, He was buried, and that very morning they heard reports from some of the women, as well as Peter and John, that His body was missing from the tomb. What’s more, the burial cloth was neatly rolled up in the tomb, and the women informed the disciples that they saw “a vision of angels who announced that he was alive.” The two did not know what to think.
As the story unfolds, Jesus appeared to them as they walked and conversed with them, “but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.” Jesus’ hidden presence teaches us that He is often with us, in our midst, yet we do not recognize Him. Distractions, trials, or our own misconceptions can dull our spiritual senses. We often fail to perceive His presence in the Eucharist, the Scriptures, the Church, during our prayer, and in one another.
Jesus’ loving rebuke of these two disciples was intended to wake them up: “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Every time we stumble from spiritual blindness, which leads to confusion, our Lord lovingly says the same to us. We must take that rebuke with humility, acknowledging our blindness and inability to perceive His constant presence.
Jesus then “interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures.” This opening of their minds to the spiritual Gift of Understanding is key. By humbly acknowledging our spiritual blindness and the foolish way we often go about our daily lives, we dispose ourselves to this precious gift. The Gift of Understanding cannot be acquired by our own effort. Only after we honestly humble ourselves before God will He open our minds to all we need to know and understand.
Once they arrived in Emmaus and invited this divine Stranger to stay with them for the night, Jesus agreed. As they dined, “while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them.” The Lord Himself, the great High Priest, gave them the Eucharist, and suddenly “their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight.”
Though our Lord vanished from their sight, He remained with them, as He does with us today. His presence in the Eucharist is His True Presence, His Divine Essence. By revealing Himself in the Scriptures and the Breaking of the Bread, He teaches us that He is always with us in His Word and in the Sacraments. We consume His Word through daily meditation, study, and the teachings of the Church. His True Presence is with us when we attend Mass and participate in the Sacraments.
Reflect today on the initial confusion of these two disciples, filled with sorrow and bewilderment as they grappled with recent events. Contrast this with the growth in faith they likely experienced in the months and years ahead. Little by little, they grew in understanding and belief, allowing their misconceptions about who the Messiah would be—not a political leader, but the Savior of the World—to be dispelled. Whenever you face confusion, turn to the example of these disciples and learn from the lessons taught through them. Seek Christ in His Word and Sacraments, trusting that He will dispel doubts and guide you to greater faith.
Ever-present Lord, please humble me so that I turn more fully to You, hearing Your voice and recognizing Your presence. When I am confused or uncertain, please intervene and open my mind to You and to Your Truth so that I will believe with all my heart and follow wherever You lead. Jesus, I trust in You.
Thus it is Written…
Third Sunday of Easter (Year B)
“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” Luke 24:46–48
Unless one were a Scripture scholar, it’s easy to miss the meaning of Jesus’ words: “Thus it is written…” He spoke these words on Easter evening after appearing in the morning to some women, Peter, and the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. After those disciples encountered the risen Lord, they returned to Jerusalem to tell the others. As they shared their experience, Jesus “stood in their midst and said to them, ‘Peace be with you’” (Luke 24:36). At first, they thought He was a ghost, but He let them touch Him and ate baked fish in their presence.
He then explained to them “that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44), and He opened their minds to understand. What a transforming moment that must have been! For the previous three days, they despaired as they saw Jesus suffer, die, and be placed in the tomb. They didn’t understand His messianic mission as revealed in the Law of Moses, the psalms, and the prophets.
At that time, many Jews were hoping for and expecting a Messiah. The prophets had spoken of a descendant of David who would rule forever as a just and righteous king. Isaiah spoke of Him as the one upon whom the “spirit of the LORD” would rest, who would judge with justice and bring peace (cf. Isaiah 11:1–9). Jeremiah foretold of one who “shall reign and govern wisely” and under whom “Israel shall dwell in security” (cf. Jeremiah 23:5–6). The prophet Daniel had a vision in which he saw “One like a son of man” coming from Heaven, whose “dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, his kingship, one that shall not be destroyed” (cf. Daniel 7:13–14). Micah prophesied that this new ruler would come from Bethlehem, the city of David (cf. Micah 5:1–2).
However, what they did not fully grasp was that Isaiah also revealed the Messiah would be a Suffering Servant: “he was pierced for our sins, crushed for our iniquity. He bore the punishment that makes us whole, by his wounds we were healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Jeremiah prophesied that this Messiah would establish a New Covenant with Israel, but this covenant would not be written on stones; rather, through him, God said: “I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jeremiah 31:33).
In addition to the writings of the prophets, the psalms contain numerous references to the Messiah’s suffering, kingship, and ultimate triumph that the disciples did not fully understand. In the Law of Moses—the first five books of the Old Testament (Torah)—Jesus’ Paschal Sacrifice is prefigured in the sacrifice of Isaac (cf. Genesis 22), the Passover lamb (cf. Exodus 12), and the Day of Atonement (cf. Leviticus 16).
Therefore, when Jesus appears to His close disciples and says, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins…,” He also opened their minds to understand that what they just witnessed the past few days brought about the fulfillment of everything they had hoped for. He truly was the Messiah! It’s just that the disciples didn’t understand His mission.
Reflect today on your understanding of Jesus as the Messiah. See yourself in these disciples. We often have false expectations of God. Our prayers often tell God what we think He should do as our Messiah. Yet, God responds: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8–9). We do not believe in a God Who promises to make our lives easy, comfortable, and free from difficulties. We believe in a God Who suffered and died to atone for our sins. This same God calls us to imitate Him, relying on His strength, to lay our lives down for others. Pray that, like the disciples on Easter evening, your mind is opened to understand God’s messianic mission in your life, giving you a share in His Resurrection.
My Messiah and Lord, Your thoughts and ways are far above ours. Please help me to shed any false notions of Who You are and what You expect of me. May I love and serve You as the Suffering Servant Who laid down His life for our sins, sharing in Your selfless sacrifice, so that I may also participate in Your Resurrection. Help me to follow Your example each day, embracing the Cross with hope in the promise of eternal life. Jesus, I trust in You.
Dispelling Desolation
Third Sunday of Easter (Year C)
At that time, Jesus revealed himself to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. John 21:1–3
John’s Gospel relates Jesus’ appearance to Mary Magdalene on Easter Sunday morning and that evening to ten of the remaining Apostles, but Thomas was absent. To His Apostles, Jesus said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” He then bestowed the Holy Spirit upon them.
A week later, Jesus again appeared to the Apostles, and this time Thomas was present. Though Thomas had refused to believe in Jesus’ Resurrection on the testimony of the ten, this time Jesus invited him to touch His wounds and believe, after which Thomas cried out, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).
Today’s reading marks Jesus’ third recorded appearance to His Apostles in John’s Gospel. This appearance occurred within the forty days before Jesus’ Ascension. Picture what the Apostles were experiencing during those weeks. They had walked with Jesus daily, placing their hope in Him as the Messiah. Then came the horror of His Passion and death. Though they witnessed His resurrected state and saw Him twice, the absence of His constant physical presence likely left them searching and uncertain. This return to fishing suggests they were seeking familiarity in the face of confusion.
Whether it was only a week or several weeks later, the time between Jesus’ initial appearances and the one we read about today must have been a time of deep soul-searching. Jesus had already opened their minds to understand what the Scriptures revealed about His mission as the Messiah, but they still appear to be uncertain about what was next.
Similarly, in our lives, moments of great consolation can give way to periods of desolation. One day, we might feel deeply connected to God and certain of our purpose; the next, we might feel alone, uncertain, and tempted to return to familiar, yet unfulfilling, routines. The miracle of today’s Gospel, however, teaches that Christ often allows us to encounter these empty moments so that He can fill them with His presence and power.
Jesus performs a twofold miracle in today’s Gospel. First, Jesus did not permit them to catch fish all night. This led to frustration. It was into this frustration and uncertainty of what to do next that Jesus entered. When you feel this way, know that it is a disposition ripe for our Lord’s intervention.
The second part of today’s miracle took place as the sun began to rise. Jesus appeared in veiled form on the shore and shouted, “‘Children, have you caught anything to eat?’ They answered him, ‘No.’ So he said to them, ‘Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.’ So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish” (John 21:5–6). With that, John, the beloved disciple, announced it was the Lord.
Once the disciples were ashore, Jesus ate with them, conversed with them, asked Peter three times if he loved Him, and spoke about John the Apostle. With this story, John’s Gospel concludes, and we must turn to the Synoptics and Acts for the Ascension, Great Commission, Pentecost, and stories of the early Church.
Reflect today on the Apostles’ emotions and thoughts during those weeks. They understood, but not fully. They were hopeful, yet discouraged. They were uncertain, but were trying to find their way. As you ponder those realities, consider any way that you can identify with them. If you feel as though you are searching, desolate, and uncertain, ponder how Jesus’ relationship with the disciples had changed. They no longer saw Him daily in physical form. Like us, they needed to discern His constant spiritual presence and begin to rely on His grace. Like them, we must persevere in hope, reject desolation, and wait for the Lord to lead us into the glorious mission He has in store for us.
Ever-present Lord, at times I feel Your presence, and at other times You seem distant. Please give me the grace to persevere through moments of consolation and desolation, always attentive to Your presence in my life. Strengthen me to trust that You are near, even when unseen. Jesus, I trust in You.
Redirecting Your Desire
Monday of the Third Week of Easter
“Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.” John 6:26–27
The crowd desired one thing, but Jesus desired another. This reality is common to us all. Earlier in this chapter from John’s Gospel, Jesus miraculously fed 5,000 men—not counting the women and children—with five barley loaves and two fish. The crowd was so ecstatic that they wanted to carry Jesus off and crown Him king. Jesus, however, had no desire to be an earthly king, so He withdrew to a mountain to be alone.
The next morning, when the crowd discovered Jesus had left, they searched for Him and found Him in Capernaum with the Twelve. When they found Him, they asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus’ response revealed their true motivation: “You are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled.” In other words, they desired another meal. Their interest in Jesus was superficial.
In John’s Gospel, Jesus’ miracles are referred to as “signs.” These signs point to His divine Sonship and salvific mission, revealing Him as the source of eternal life. Jesus recognized that the people sought Him not because they sought spiritual understanding or insight into His divine nature, but solely for material satisfaction—another meal.
The crowd desired physical food, but Jesus desired to give them spiritual nourishment to strengthen their faith so that they would believe and receive the eternal and superabundant treasures He came to bestow. Jesus then exhorted them to work “for the food that endures for eternal life.” That “food” is their belief in Him, whom the Father sent to bring eternal life.
We often find ourselves desiring the passing things of this world more than we desire God. It is natural, not sinful, to experience physical hunger and desire food. But if such desires become the driving force in our lives, then they become disordered.
In addition to natural desires, our spiritual desires can also become misguided. For example, if we seek Jesus in prayer solely because we have a favor to ask of Him, then we are acting much like the crowd in today’s Gospel, and Jesus’ words to them would apply to us: “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.”
Our pursuit of Jesus must not be centered on our own ideas of what is best for us. Only God knows what is best. We must understand this and allow Him to redirect our desires to seek what is eternal. We must not only seek but also desire God’s work in our lives. His greatest work is that we “believe in the one he sent.” We must desire faith in Jesus and His eternal plan, abandoning every superficial or misguided pursuit.
Reflect today on what you desire most from your relationship with our Lord. If your ambitions are earthly and fleeting, look higher. Seek the eternal realities God wishes to bestow, and work to realign your desires toward those alone. God is aware of our natural needs and will provide for them according to His will when we prioritize understanding Him, His divine Sonship, and His mission. Learn from the crowd in today’s Gospel and heed Jesus’ gentle rebuke. Believe in the One the Father sent—Jesus, the Son of God—and all good and eternal things will be lavished upon you according to His will.
My heavenly King, You desire to be the King of my life, directing my every action and controlling my every desire. I give all control to You, dear Lord, and ask that you redirect my every ambition and desire in accord with Your perfect will. Jesus, I trust in You.
Manna or the Bread of Life
Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter
The crowd said to Jesus: “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” John 6:30–31
Today’s Gospel begins the beautiful Bread of Life Discourse, which we will read at Mass for the rest of the week. In this discourse, we read the conversation Jesus had with some of the crowd who, the previous day, were among the more than 5,000 who were miraculously fed by the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. The conversation begins with the crowd’s search for physical sustenance and gradually unfolds into a revelation of a deeper, spiritual nourishment as Jesus points them to the “food that endures for eternal life” (John 6:27).
Jesus had their attention. They understood that He was talking about something mysterious—more than just the miraculous multiplication of loaves and fishes. Therefore, they asked Him for a sign and quoted the Exodus account in which God provided manna in the desert. Understanding their question is key to understanding Jesus’ response.
After Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and they wandered in the desert for forty years on their way to the Promised Land, God provided them with manna as “bread from heaven” (cf. Exodus 16:4–34). About 820 years after the Israelites entered the Promised Land and established their kingdom, Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians in 586 B.C. During this time, the prophet Jeremiah is said to have hidden the Ark of the Covenant, which contained a pot of manna, in a secret place before the Jews were taken into exile (cf. 2 Maccabees 2:5–8). This hidden manna held symbolic significance, and tradition suggests there was a belief that it would miraculously reappear at Passover when the Messiah came, beginning the dawn of the last days and a new era of divine fulfillment.
Some traditions suggest that there was an expectation of the hidden manna’s return, leading the crowd to wonder if Jesus would reveal such treasures—true spiritual gifts that would confirm that He was the long-awaited Messiah. However, the people misunderstood Jeremiah’s actions and the deeper significance of the hidden manna. While the tradition spoke of a miraculous return, Jesus intended to fulfill that prophecy not by uncovering the old Ark but by revealing Himself as the new Manna: “…my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:32–33).
When Jesus revealed this, the people asked Him, “Sir, give us this bread always” (John 6:34). Unfortunately, the people still did not understand. As they recalled the Exodus story about the manna in the desert, they thought Jesus was promising a new physical food that would sustain them. Therefore, Jesus clearly exclaims, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst” (John 6:35). With that, Jesus begins to teach about the Eucharist, a teaching that would find its fulfillment at the Last Supper, where He offered Himself as true food and drink for the life of the world.
As we begin reading the Bread of Life Discourse, we are invited into the greatest mystery of our faith. As a divine mystery—a mysterium fidei—the Eucharist is not something we can figure out by study alone. The Eucharist is God’s Presence into which we are invited to enter, and Jesus must teach us the way. The Eucharist is only understood properly through prayer—a prayer in which God reveals His hidden presence to us.
Reflect today on your understanding of the Eucharist. Only the spiritual Gift of Understanding will enable us to more fully comprehend this most precious Gift. As we read through the Bread of Life Discourse this week, make an effort to pray over the words. Ask for enlightenment. Like the members of the crowd who conversed with Jesus in today’s Gospel, commit yourself to participate in their discussion. Seek to understand so that you will believe and share in the abundant blessings given to those who partake of the Bread of Life.
Bread of Life, You are the true food from Heaven, You are sustenance for my weary soul. As we reflect on Your beautiful and mysterious teaching of the Eucharist, please help me to understand this precious gift so that as I approach the altar, I will do so with renewed reverence, seeking not just physical participation but a spiritual awakening to the reality of Your presence. Jesus, I trust in You.
The Satiation You Desire
Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter
Jesus said to the crowds, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. But I told you that although you have seen me, you do not believe.” John 6:35–36
Some who listened to Jesus’ Bread of Life Discourse must have been shocked. Those who listened with faith began to believe in Him, even though their understanding was not complete. Those who listened with skepticism were not only shocked but angered, as evidenced by their reaction. Today’s Gospel marks Jesus’ clearest revelation of His divine identity and mission, inviting us to accept Him into our lives.
After proclaiming Himself to be the Bread of Life, Jesus reveals His unity with the Father in Heaven Who sent Him on His mission. He proclaims that He “will not reject anyone who comes to” Him because He “came down from heaven” to do the will of the Father Who sent Him. Jesus concludes with a declaration about the Father’s will and Jesus’ mission: “Everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day” (cf. John 6:37–40). Again, without the ears of faith, what Jesus revealed must have been shocking.
At that time, the people of Israel were used to listening to rabbis who interpreted the Law of Moses, the psalms, and the prophets for them. These educated teachers often spoke clearly and with authority, but never like Jesus. His clarity and authority were pronounced, and the message He taught was new. Not even the prophets of old spoke like Him. When they prophesied, they usually began by saying, “Thus says the Lord…” Jesus’ teaching took a drastic shift by essentially proclaiming, “I AM the Lord…”
Though some might have been skeptical and critical, it’s important for us to consider those who were humble of heart who listened to Jesus’ words with openness and faith. As they heard this new and amazing teaching, their hearts would have responded, “Yes!”, while their minds would have said, “I don’t understand.”
When we experience the gift of faith, we will find we have that same reaction. God’s revealed and mysterious truths often stir our spirits first, calling us to believe, and only once we believe, is clarity given. In fact, faith often precedes understanding, inviting us to trust first and receive deeper insights in time. For that reason, we must understand that belief does not require perfect understanding. It’s appropriate to believe in our spirit, even though our minds have not yet grasped the truth we believe. This is especially the case with the Eucharist.
Saint John Vianney once said, “There is nothing so great as the Eucharist. If God had something more precious, He would have given it to us.” Do you believe that? Of all the material possessions we might obtain in this life, nothing is more valuable, important, or precious than the Eucharist. Why? Because the Eucharist is Jesus Himself. He is the Bread of Life. His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity enter our souls when we receive this precious gift.
After Jesus said to the crowds, “whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst,” He said that some would not believe in Him. But those who do believe, despite an incomplete understanding of the Eucharist, are promised they will “never hunger” and “never thirst.” Clearly, the hunger and thirst Jesus speaks of are far greater than physical needs. It’s the longing that comes from the depths of our being, desiring fulfillment, contentment, and peace. It’s a desire to be made whole, free from guilt and shame, satisfied beyond any natural satisfaction. This is the Eucharist. Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, desiring to satisfy our souls’ every longing.
Reflect today on Jesus’ invitation to satiate your soul’s deepest hunger and thirst through the Eucharist. He calls you to a personal encounter, to find in Him the true satisfaction that the world cannot give. We attempt to acquire that satiation through many passing means, such as pleasures, comforts, indulgences, wealth, and prestige. None of it works. As you look into your soul and identify the many longings you have, turn to Him alone Who satisfies. Renew your faith in the Eucharist and receive the satiation He desires to bestow.
My Eucharistic Lord, You have promised that if I come to You, You will satisfy my deepest longings, every hunger and thirst. I do come to You and believe that You are the Bread of Life, the only means to the Father. I renew my faith in Your True Presence in the Eucharist and pray that every time I receive You, my heart will be open to Your transforming love. Jesus, I trust in You.
Drawn by the Father
Thursday of the Third Week of Easter
Jesus said to the crowds: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day.” John 6:44
In today’s Gospel, Jesus continues His conversation with the crowd who sought Him out after performing the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. As the conversation continues, Jesus deepens His clarity about His relationship with the Father, His divine identity, the Father’s action in our lives, and the gift of Himself as the Bread of Life.
The passage above reveals an essential spiritual principle we must understand as we work to strengthen our relationship with God: Faith is a response to the Father’s call, not something we initiate on our own. This principle is crucial because faith is not primarily a resolution we make to grow closer to God; rather, it begins as a resolution from the Father in Heaven Who draws us to Himself by drawing us to His Son, Jesus, especially in the Eucharist.
Practically speaking, this principle must guide our prayer lives. Though it’s good to make a conscious effort to pray every day, to meditate on the Scriptures, recite devotions, and attend Mass as often as possible, we must always see those efforts as a response to God’s invitation rather than our own good idea. It’s a subtle, though important, distinction.
To illustrate, consider the Gospel story of the contrasting prayer of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18:9–14. In that parable, the Pharisee offered many prayers each day and fasted regularly, but his prayers went unheard and his fasting was unfruitful. Why? Because his actions were not initiated by God but were works of his own doing. In contrast, the tax collector, aware of his sin and need for God’s mercy, humbled himself and prayed, “O God, be merciful to me a sinner.” That prayer was beautiful and fruitful because it was a response to God Who revealed his sin to him and called him to repent, which he did.
Today’s Gospel lesson comes to us within the context of Jesus’ teaching on the Eucharist. Therefore, we must especially apply His opening words to the way we participate in the Mass. Our choice to attend Mass is not something we do as a favor to God. Instead, our participation in the Mass must be a response to the Father Who offers us the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus, His Son, as the spiritual food we need in order to attain everlasting life. Participation in the Mass is God’s gift to us, and our response must be authentic prayer.
Our participation in the Mass becomes authentic when we recognize that the Father is inviting us to receive the Eucharist as “the living bread that came down from heaven” and Jesus’ “Flesh for the life of the world.” The Mass is about receiving God into our lives, not because we choose to put Him there, but because we say “Yes” to His invitation to be drawn to Him. The word “Eucharist” means “thanksgiving,” and this must be our prayerful response to such a great gift. We must foster an attitude of sincere gratitude for the Father’s invitation to share in the Sacrifice of His Son so as to be given the unmerited gift of eternal life.
Reflect today on your participation in the Mass. If you ever feel that your attendance is a favor to God, pause and listen to the Father’s voice calling you. Try to hear Him invite you to this most precious Feast. Become aware of the Father drawing you to the Mass, to His Son, the source of eternal life. Respond with humble gratitude, knowing that there is no greater gift you can receive.
Heavenly Father, You constantly speak to me, call to me, and draw me to Your Son. Please open my ears to hear Your gentle voice, offering me the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Son in the Holy Eucharist. May my participation in that unfathomable Gift be one of sincere gratitude for the eternal gifts You invite me to receive. Jesus, I trust in You.
Certitude of Faith
Friday of the Third Week of Easter
“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.” John 6:53–55
Human reason and free will are the most precious natural gifts God gave us. They are what separate us from every other animal. Human reason enables us to think critically, understand concepts, and arrive at conclusions. Central to our human reason is our free will, which enables us to act upon the conclusions we reach or to reject them, choosing instead to follow our disordered appetites and misguided desires. Though human reason was wounded by Original Sin, it was not completely destroyed. We must diligently strive to act rationally and in accord with common sense, adhering to the natural law that God has written on our souls. However, even though a rational approach to natural law will bring us a long way toward right living, it is not sufficient to lead us into the deeper truths of eternal salvation, promised to us in Jesus’ discourse on the Bread of Life, on which we have been reflecting.
By natural reason alone, the Eucharist makes no sense. How could that which appears to be a piece of bread be the “Flesh of the Son of Man” and a cup that appears to be wine be His Blood? Yet when we incorporate divine revelation into our reasoning, the Eucharist as the Flesh and Blood of Jesus, the Son of God, makes perfect sense: “…my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink.” The Eucharist makes sense, but only when we listen with faith to the revelation Jesus gave to us. Today’s Gospel provides the clearest teaching we have ever received on this Precious Gift.
Today’s Gospel begins by relating that “The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?’” (John 6:52). They were quarreling because they were not opening their human reason to the light of Jesus’ revealed truth. In this exchange, the Eternal and Incarnate Son of God was speaking a divine truth to them. Jesus spoke clearly and plainly, but their minds remained closed. They heard His words, but they closed themselves off to the Father’s Voice, which testified on Jesus’ behalf that all He said was true. It seems that some who listened began to understand and believe, prompting the quarrel among them.
When you read our Lord’s words, what do you hear? Do you hear the Father’s Voice in the depths of your conscience, confirming the truthfulness of what you read? Do you hear the Living Word of God echoing within your mind and soul? Do you allow that Word to inform your human reason so that you can conclude that the Eucharist is real, that it is the Flesh and Blood of the Son of God, offered to you so that you can share in eternal life? No amount of human study or intelligence alone will ever convince us of divine truths. God alone can convince us, but only if we listen to His Voice.
Truths of faith, such as our belief in the Eucharist, must be more certain than any other natural truth we believe. No rational person would deny the reality of the physical world we see with our eyes or touch with our hands. The noises we hear, the food we taste, and the aroma we smell are all judged as real because we believe what our five senses perceive. When our consciences perceive divine truths, those truths are more certain than all sensory knowledge. Why? Because God is the one directly communicating to us.
Reflect today on Jesus’ crystal-clear teaching on the Eucharist. We must hear and understand what He said. Our faith in the Eucharist must become certain. Allow the Father’s Voice to resonate within your mind so that you are more certain that the Eucharist is the Flesh and Blood of the Son of God than anything else you believe. Strengthen your faith, knowing that His Flesh and Blood bring you to eternal life.
My Eucharistic Lord, I believe that You gave Your life for the salvation of all and that the gift of eternal salvation is given to us through the Sacraments. I believe that the Eucharist is Your Flesh and Blood, Your Divine Essence. Please strengthen my faith so that I am more open to the abundant grace You wish to bestow through the Precious Gift. Jesus, I trust in You.
Shocked by Truth
Saturday of the Third Week of Easter
Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:67–69
Sometimes we are tempted to value a superficial unity over the Gospel. While this temptation is understandable, it is ultimately not acceptable. The Gospel is demanding because it presents to us the deep and transforming truths of Who God is and His invitation to share in His life. The Gospel invites us to believe everything Jesus taught us with absolute conviction, including His teachings on the Most Holy Eucharist.
After Jesus finished His discourse on the Bread of Life, we read: “Many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said, ‘This saying is hard; who can accept it?’” (John 6:60). After Jesus acknowledged their shock at His teaching, “many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer walked with him” (John 6:66).
This blatant rejection by many who came to listen to Jesus had an impact on His Apostles. Seeing their shock, Jesus addressed the Twelve by asking them: “Do you also want to leave?” Peter’s response must become our response to the demands of the Gospel: “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”
If we carefully read through Jesus’ numerous teachings, we will find ourselves exceptionally challenged. Jesus doesn’t preach superficial unity. He’s not a politician who speaks merely to gain support. He speaks the clear and demanding truths that we need to hear in order to become full members of His Body, the Church.
What did Jesus say that resulted in many of His disciples leaving Him and returning to their former way of life? The answer is found in the paragraph prior to today’s Gospel:
“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” (John 6:54–58).
Despite the shocking nature of this new teaching, those who were open to God’s voice came to believe. His teaching might not have made perfect sense to them the first time they heard it, but they knew His words were true. They couldn’t articulate why or how it was true, but the Father in Heaven planted seeds of faith in their minds and hearts, and those seeds immediately began to grow.
In addition to Jesus’ teaching on the Eucharist, His teaching of absolute forgiveness and mercy toward those who wrong us or persecute us left many in awe. His teaching that we must take up our cross and follow Him left many astonished. And His teaching that He would suffer greatly at the hands of the religious leaders, be killed, and rise on the third day left many in shock. Though Peter and the other Eleven might have experienced this astonishment, they believed, despite not fully understanding, leaving us an example to follow.
Reflect today on the absolute demands that the Gospel’s pure and holy truths place on us. If you have never been shocked by the Gospel, then it might mean you need to delve deeper into what Jesus taught. Being shaken to the core by Divine Truth is good and necessary. That experience will help us to step into our astonishment with faith and commitment, saying with Peter: “Lord, to whom shall I go? You have the words of eternal life. I have come to believe and am convinced that you are the Holy One of God. I will follow You!”
My demanding Lord, I want to know You and the many truths You want to teach me. I want to have faith and follow You no matter what You ask of me. Give me the courage I need to listen to all that You reveal so that I may be transformed by Your Truth and move beyond astonishment in my life. Jesus, I trust in You.
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