John 6:51-58 (NRSV)
Read John 6:51-58 on biblegateway.com
Verse 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." Verse 52The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" Verse 53So Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Verse 54Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; Verse 55for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Verse 56Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Verse 57Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. Verse 58This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever."
Devotion
Living bread from heaven, not just bread from earth; Jesus’ flesh and blood, not just bread and wine made by hand; true food and true drink for eternal life, not just temporal food for mortal life; just as Jesus lives because of the Father, so we live because of him – these are mind-boggling thoughts. Yet they give us hope and life, because whoever eats Christ’s body and drinks Christ’s blood has eternal life.
What a gift this eternal life is! It is more than living from day to day to satisfy our hunger and thirst. It is more than existing just for ourselves. It is living in Christ to bear our crosses and rise from the dead to the glory of God and for the good of all. In other words, it is experiencing the joy and happiness that comes from being disciples of Christ now and forever.
Prayer
Bread of heaven, nourish us with your goodness and enrich us with your love. Build us up to be your faithful disciples and bear witness to your grace, for you hold the gift of eternal life. Amen.