The SIXTH CHAPTER OF ST.JOHN

 LET US LOOK IMMEDIATELY AT THE GOSPEL STORY ST. JOHN TELLS US HOW OUR LORD HAD JUST WORKED TWO SPECTACULAR MIRACLES; HE HAD FED A GREAT MULTITUDE CONTAINING FIVE THOUSAND MEN AND HE HAD WALKED ON THE WATER OF THE SEA OF GALILEE AND QUELLED A STORM. HAVING RETURNED TO CPHARNAUM, HE WAS SOUGHT OUT BY THE JEWS, WHO IMMEDIATELY ASKED, "MASTER, WHEN DIDST THOU MAKE THY WAY HERE?"  OUR LORD FULLY AWARE OF THEIR INSINCERITY, REPLIED: " IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR ME NOW, IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF THE MIRACLES YOU HAVE SEEN; IT IS BECAUSE YOU WERE FED WITH LOAVES, AND HAD YOUR FILL." AND HE WENT ON TO DEMAND THEIR FAITH: THIS IS THE SERVICE THAT GOD ASKS OF YOU, TO BELIEVE IN THE MAN WHOM HE HAS SENT. " THEY REPLIED BY DEMANDING A SIGN.  MOSES HAD GIVEN MANNA IN THE DESERT, COULD JESUS DO SOMETHING COMPARABLE TO ASSERT HIS SUPERIORITY? HE REPLIED:THE BREAD THAT COMES FROM HEAVEN  IS GIVEN ONLY BY THE FATHER. IT IS I WHO AM THE BREAD OF LIFE, HE WHO COMES TO ME WILL NEVER BE HUNGRY, HE WHO HAS FAITH IN ME WILL NEVER KNOW THIRST."  AFTER THIS THEY PARTED, BUT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A GREAT DEAL OF DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT JESUS SAID.
  DESIROUS OF HEARING HIM FURTHER, THEY INVITED HIM TO EXPLAIN HIS TEACHING IN THE SYNAGOGUE. THERE HE EXPOUNDED IT IN A MANNER WHICH LEFT NO DOUBT AS TO HIS MEANING: " BELIEVE IN ME WHEN I TELL YOU THIS: THE MAN WHO HAS FAITH IN ME ENJOYS ETERNAL LIFE. IT IS I WHO IS THE BREAD OF LIFE., YOUR FATHERS WHO ATE MANNA IN THE DESERT, DIED NONE THE LESS; THE BREAD WHICH COMES DOWN FROM HEAVEN. IF ANYONE EATS OF THIS BREAD, HE SHALL LIVE FFOREVER.. AND NOW, WHAT IS THIS BREAD WHICH I AM GOING TO GIVE?   IT IS MY FLESH, GIVEN FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD."
 IMMEDIATELY  THERE WAS AN UPROAR. THE JEWS REALIZE THAT THIS AT LEAST WAS INCAPABLE OF A METAPHORIAL EXPLANATION AND SO, WITH PERFECT LOGIC, THEY ASKED: "HOW CAN THIS MAN GIVES US HIS FLESH TO EAT?" JESUS ANSWERED CLEARLY AND EMPHATICALLY: "BELIEVE IN ME WHEN I TELL YOU THIS: YOU CAN HAVE NO LIFE IN YOURSELVES, UNLESS YOU EAT OF THE SON OF MAN, AND DRINK HIS BLOOD. THE MAN  WHO EATS MY FLESH AND DRINKS MY BLOOD, LIVES CONTINUALLY IN ME. AND I IN HIM. AS I LIVE BECAUSE OF THE FATHER, THE LIVING FATHER WHO HAS SENT ME, SO HE WHO EATS ME WILL LIVE, INN HIS TURN, BECAUSE OF ME. SUCH IS THE BREAD WHICH HAS COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN; IT IS NOT WHAT IT WAS WITH YOUR FATHERS , WHO ATE MANNA AND DIED ANY WAY.
THE MAN WHO EATS THIS BREAD WILL LIVE ETERNALLY.