Daily reflection _ important truth


IMPORTANT TRUTH
Saul was persecuting Christians. Jesus declared quite plainly, "I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting."
When Jesus said to "eat My Flesh and drink My Blood," He invites us to take His life into the very center of our being.
Deacon John Ruscheinsky
Today's readings couple an important truth concerning the presence of Christ in people and in the Eucharist. The readings help us to see how Jesus Christ is truly the center and the heart of Christianity.
Today we read in Acts about St. Paul's conversion. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith wrote on June 26, 2000: "[it is] Christ's proclamation [of] the Father's love which leads men and women to conversion and bestows the grace required to abandon oneself to Him with filial devotion. And of course, this would also include the deep love for the Eucharist, which feeds us on our journey.
Saul was persecuting Christians. On the road to Damascus, he was struck to the ground and heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" It was the voice of Jesus Christ. This story took place after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Saul had never even seen Jesus before His death on the Cross. And yet Jesus was accusing Paul of persecuting Him. The reason is that Jesus truly lives in us, the members of His Church. Note that Jesus did not say that it was as if Paul were persecuting Him or that He considered what was done to His followers as having been done to Himself. He declared quite plainly, "I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting."
For Christians, it makes even more pointed the solidarity of the human race which we have from our common origin. It tells us that the persecuted Christians of the Sudan, the homeless of our big cities and the victims of poverty are part of the one Body of Christ, the Risen Christ. We baptized believers and the Eucharistic Body and Blood of Christ are all one, as members united with our Head, Christ. The reverence we show to theconsecrated Species under the appearances of bread and wine at Holy Mass must be matched by similar reverence and love for our family and those around us everyday. The Body of Christ is more present than we perhaps imagine; we may limit the Presence too much to the altar or tabernacle alone.
Jesus in the Gospel proclaims, "My Flesh is real food and My Blood is real drink" (Jn 6:55). We must take these words literally, for Jesus is truly present in the Holy Eucharist, our spiritual food and drink.
Our faith must be complete. As we believe that Jesus is present in the Eucharist, so we must believe that He is present in His people. The two truths must be coupled as one, for they are in a sense the two sides of one coin. When Jesus said to "eat My Flesh and drink My Blood," He invites us to take His life into the very center of our being. That life which He offers is the very life of God Himself.
Yes, Lord Jesus, we hunger for You. You are the Bread of Life.