Lemuel The Servant

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22 June, 2014

Daily Gospel, The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Sunday, 22 June 2014

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) - Solemnity - Year A

St. Thomas More, Martyr (1478-1535), St. John Fisher, Bishop and Martyr (1459-1535)

Commentary of the day
Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross [Edith Stein] : "Whoever eats this bread will live forever"

Jn 6:51-58.
Jesus said to the Jewish crowds:
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?"
Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day :

Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross [Edith Stein] (1891-1942), Carmelite, martyr, co-patron of Europe
Poem « I will remain with you », 1938 (trans. ©Washington Province of Discalced Carmelites, 1992)

"Whoever eats this bread will live forever"

This Heart of the Trinity,
beats for us in a small tabernacle
Where it remains mysteriously hidden
In that still, white host.

That is your royal throne on earth, 0 Lord,
Which visibly you have erected for us,
And you are pleased when I approach it.

Full of love, you sink your gaze into mine
And bend your ear to my quiet words
And deeply fill my heart with peace.

Yet your love is not satisfied
With this exchange that could still lead to separation:
Your heart requires more.

You come to me as early morning's meal each daybreak.
Your flesh and blood become food and drink for me
And something wonderful happens.

Your body mysteriously permeates mine
And your soul unites with mine: .
I am no longer what once I was.

You come and go, but the seed
That you sowed for future glory, remains behind (Mk 4,26; Jn 12,24),
Buried in this body of dust.

A luster of heaven remains in the soul,
A deep glow remains in the eyes,
A soaring in the tone of voice.

There remains the bond that binds heart to heart,
The stream of life that springs from yours
And animates each limb (1Co 12,27).

How wonderful are your gracious wonders!
All we can do is be amazed and stammer and fall silent
Because intellect and words fail.

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