Catholic Revelation

After reading John 6, it becomes crystal clear that Jesus sees himself as the fulfillment of the Passover we read about in Exodus. This is such an important connection because it really ties the Old Testament to the New Testament and helps us to appreciate how the Eucharist is the center of Catholic life.

Jesus knew he was going to ascend into Heaven after his resurrection and that there would be those people who would not believe that he would make his presence available to us in the Holy Eucharist. I believe that the Bread of Life Discourse ( John 6:22-59) reveals this to us. We see those disciples part from Jesus because this was a hard teaching and it still is a hard teaching as many of our Protestant Brothers and Sisters in Christ cannot make the Holy Eucharist the center of their Christian faith and come to believe in the real presence and gift of Christ’s offering. I believe that Jesus is showing us in this discourse that this teaching would indeed be hard to understand and therefore, there would be division among us concerning this teaching. But Jesus didn’t expect us to understand, he just expected us to believe. This is what is revealed to me every time I read this discourse. Jesus knew of the trouble we would have with this truth which is the center of the Catholic faith, and he tries to tell us that even despite our limited ability to recognize his full presence, we only need to take Him at his word.

The Jews then disputed among themselves saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat? So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink of his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. John 6:52-55.

When I first pondered these words I was so taken by them that I was anxious to share them and discuss them with my unbelieving Protestant friends. But this still wasn’t enough for them and I was very disappointed that I could not help them to see what I was amazed to discover and what so many others have always understood. I began to really try and see these words from their point of view, opening my mind to all of the possible interpretations. I just couldn’t understand how they could deny what seemed so plain and so I thought, surely, there is something I and my fellow Catholics are missing here. Little did I know, however, that eventually, further study of Scripture would reveal yet another surprise and one that closed the deal for me.

When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight. Luke 24:30-31

John 6 has helped deepen my understanding and appreciation for the gift of the Eucharist in another way as well. The people in Jesus’ time were amazed at the signs that Jesus did and the meaning of these signs. Nicodemus, for example, had trouble grasping the notion of a new birth. These people were no different than we are today. Jesus was with them, flesh and blood, and they were first hand witnesses to His signs, and yet, they still struggled to accept what didn’t seem possible to their human minds. I think Peter, in the Bread of Life Discourse, shows us how we are to respond to God always.

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed and have come to know that you are the Holy one of God.” John 6:68