Day 27 of Lent

March 16, 2015|Adam Minihan|Lenten Reflections

Thank you so much for joining us today. I pray you had a great weekend.

TODAY’S BIBLE VERSE:

JOHN 6:50

This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die.

As a first century Jew, everyone who heard this would have understood the reference from Jesus. This was the reference of God sending down the manna to Moses and the Israelites in the desert. Unlike the Israelites who perished, Jesus offers his sacrifice in the Eucharist to give us eternal life – that we may never die. This was obviously a hard teaching for the Jews to understand or accept based on the Mosaic Law (see 2 verses later and 16 verses later). Nonetheless, Jesus doubles down and says in the following verse, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (I highly recommend reading “The Lamb’s Supper” by Scott Hahn and “Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist” by Brant Pitre)

In nature, lower level living things are always assimilated into higher level living things — Lower level nutrients in the soil are assimilated into higher level plants as they grow. Lower level plants are assimilated into higher level animals as they eat them. Lower level animals are assimilated into higher level humans as they eat them. And lower level humans are assimilated into God as they consume the Eucharist and become one flesh and spirit with Him.

The Eucharist is the most precious gift ever given to man.

And the Catholic Church has that gift.

During the Mass, the priest does not resacrifice Jesus on the altar. Rather, through time and space, the exact same sacrifice that occurred at the Last Supper is made present to us NOW! This sacrifice cannot be repeated, because it never ends! It is given to all for all of time.

As St. Augustine said,

Christ held Himself in His hands when He gave His Body to His disciples saying: ‘This is My Body.’ No one partakes of this Flesh before he has adored it.”

IDEAS TO HELP YOU MEMORIZE BIBLE VERSES EACH DAY:

ASK FOR THE GRACE TO REMEMBER THE VERSE THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
ASK YOUR GUARDIAN ANGEL TO HELP YOU REMEMBER THE BIBLE VERSE THROUGHOUT THE DAY
BEFORE UNLOCKING YOUR PHONE OR SENDING A TEXT MESSAGE, EACH TIME REPEAT THE BIBLE VERSE.
BEFORE SENDING AN EMAIL OUT, REPEAT THE BIBLE VERSE.
WHILE BRUSHING YOUR TEETH IN THE MORNING AND AT NIGHT, REPEAT THE BIBLE VERSE.
EACH TIME YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, BEFORE YOU START IT, REPEAT THE BIBLE VERSE.
BEFORE PRAYER BEFORE MEALS WITH YOUR FAMILY, REPEAT THE BIBLE VERSE.
SEND THE BIBLE VERSE TO YOUR SPOUSE, KIDS, OR FAMILY THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS A REMINDER.
START EACH PRAYER THROUGHOUT THE DAY WITH THE BIBLE VERSE.
EACH TIME YOU WALK THROUGH A DOORWAY, REPEAT THE BIBLE VERSE.