(Deuteronomy 8:2-3,14b-16a; Psalm 147; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; John 6:51-58)

Holy Scriptures is the history of our salvation. Throughout the Bible we are told how God, not only breathed life into us and created a world for us to live in, but He has also ensured that since the beginning of time, He has provided us with everything we need. From Genesis, where He created us and provided us with every type of food that we could possibly need, as well as everything that we would need for shelter and warmth.

In our first reading we hear Moses reminding the people of the great deeds God has done for their benefit. He tells them never to forget these great deeds: freedom from slavery in Egypt, led them through the desert, gave them water and food where there was none. Just as God provided for Abraham when he took Isaac up the mountain to sacrifice him, God provides for Abraham’s successors; and that includes us.

In the Gospel we hear from St John, Jesus is telling the people that to be saved we must eat of His flesh. This caused outrage among the Jewish leaders, who failed to understand that this was God continuing to provide for all of our needs; just as He had done for their forefathers from generation to generation. There is a sense of urgency in the words of Jesus. He homes in on their disbelief and re-emphasises that this is not something which we should merely want, it is something we need.

If we want to inherit eternal life, the Body and Blood of Christ gives life to our eternal soul; in a similar way to oxygen, which allows our physical body to live. We take in the oxygen which is then carried throughout our body by the blood giving life to all of our organs. But not only that, the Body and Blood of Christ gives Spiritual Energy to our physical body too. Through receiving Jesus in Holy Communion, we become like Jesus, we have a desire to be One with the Father, we have a desire to be one with our brothers and sisters in Christ too. This Spiritual Energy is what feeds our desire to serve; it is what reminds us of the sacrifices Christ made for us, it drives us to love.

These words from Jesus also speak of the relationship Jesus wants to have with everyone of us. Jesus loves us so much that He wants to be part of us. Jesus wants an intimate relationship with us all. As St John Paul II said at an audience in October 2000 ‘with the Eucharist the intimacy becomes total; the embrace between God and man reaches its apex.’[1]   The passion shines through in the words Jesus uses in today’s Gospel, He loves us so much and wants us to love Him too.

Every time we come to Mass we are fed by the Word of God and by the Body of Christ; both inextricably linked. Even for those unable to receive the Eucharist we have the opportunity for Spiritual Communion; in some places this is still said publicly, others it has disappeared since the lockdown ended. But the words of Spiritual Communion remain available for all those unable to receive for whatever reason. We can still receive Jesus spiritually. When Jesus said at the Last Supper that we were to do ‘this’ in remembrance of me, He was telling us to come to Him. For us as Catholics, ‘this’ coming to Mass, to get as close to Jesus as we possibly can; be present, listen, sing, pray, offer up Christ to his Father along with the priest, receive Holy Communion, trying to live outside the church walls what we have done within them.[2]

This is a day when many parishes choose to celebrate First Holy Communion for their young people. The Parish of St Michael’s, Tadley and St Oswald’s, Burghfield Common are doing so this year. The parents of these children have listened to the words from the Baptism Service which says, ‘they will share the banquet of Christ’s sacrifice.’ Every parent who presents their child for First holy Communion is enabling their child to partake in this banquet.

Even though it was many years ago, I look back fondly to my own first Holy Communion. In those days, the Parish I lived in had two Catholic primary schools and a ‘Special’ school for what we now call children with special needs. That means there were around 150 of us who made our First Holy Communion together, I was still six years old. Did I fully understand what I was receiving on that day? I think I understood enough for a six-year-old. Do I fully understand what I am receiving now? It is unlikely that we will ever fully understand, but my journey of faith still drives me to explore and to try to understand more every time I receive the Eucharist.

When the priest holds the host up and says, ‘Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world, Happy are those who are called to the Supper of the Lamb.’ Firstly, I am truly happy that I have been called to the Supper, but next very aware of my unworthiness as we say the prayer ‘Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.’

For me this is one of the most important prayers of the Mass. For us to receive worthily, the Body and Blood of Christ, we need to recognise that we are not worthy and to seek God’s permission to receive Him, worthily. As we remember this bread ‘is not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live for ever.’

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

CCC 790, 1003, 1322-1419: the Holy Eucharist
CCC 805, 950, 2181-2182, 2637, 2845: the Eucharist and the communion of believers
CCC 1212, 1275, 1436, 2837: the Eucharist as spiritual food[3]

Please accompany in your prayers

  • All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
  • Those housebound who desire the Eucharist and are unable to receive it due to too few Eucharistic ministers.
  • Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
  • Those who have completed and those who continue with the RCIA programme; especially those who received the Sacraments of Initiation this Easter.
  • The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
  • Those affected by addiction.
  • Those fruitlessly searching for a food that satisfies more than the Eucharist, that they realise that only Jesus can fully satisfy.
  • Those in need of work.

Deacon Tony

6th June 2026

[1] St. John Paul II on his love for the Eucharist – EWTN Great Britain

[2] Placid Murray OSB, 100 Liturgical Homilies, [The Columba Press, Dublin, 1988] 57.

[3] Homiletic Directory, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments