Bread For The Journey Of Life

By Deacon Robin Adair

Back from a week’s vacation in the Great North, Upper Peninsula, Michigan. One of my dearest friends is a huge Ohio State Buckeye fan. When I told him we were going to Michigan, he said, “the best part of Michigan is underwater!”

“Not true”, I said, “the best part of Michigan is in the water!”

I helplessly sat in the boat while Paula caught 5 Northern Pike in less than one hour! I even prayed to St. Peter, the patron of fishermen, but still I only caught one small one that evening! Wait till next year!

The Gospel readings these past several weeks from John’s Gospel are called the Bread of Life Discourses. When Jesus shared with his fisherman Apostles their last meal his statement that “whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood will have eternal life within them” was such a striking and stunning remark that many of His followers said it is too harsh a saying, and they left Him.

Too harsh a saying?! Is this statement still too harsh for us? People leave the Catholic church all the time, for all of kinds of reasons: because the homilies are too boring, or they don’t like the priest and deacon, or the music, or Mass is too long, or whatever; but do they realize that in walking away from the Church they are walking away from the Food that sustains us?

Think about the people you love. You don’t walk away from them. If you didn’t have them in your life, it would be less complete; if we didn’t have the Body and Blood of Jesus each week our lives would be less complete.

So, what is the food that we are seeking? Certainly, there are churches that do fellowship better, might have better music, dynamic speakers, and beautiful settings.

But they don’t have the Bread of Life!

What is the bread we are looking for? What is this Bread for Eternal Life? The Bread of Life that Jesus speaks about in the Gospel is Himself. He will give Himself. He is the food that hungry people really need. Bread that is for all Eternity. “Take and eat, this is My Body.”

That Food is available right here Sunday after Sunday. Bread for the journey of Life.

Real Presence is so powerful; so life-giving; so redeeming. Even better than catching a big Northern! But wait to next year. Don’t wait to receive Jesus!