Brothers and Sisters, 

Last week the “search” for us in John chapter six was the number of times we read the phrase “eternal life.” By my count, John chapter six contains the phrase “eternal life” 5 times. It is a reminder to us that the Eucharist is meant to strengthen and nourish us for eternal life.

In recent years, there has been an effort to remind Catholics of Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist. In fact, the recent Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, drawing more than 60,000 people to worship and grow in their faith, was sparked by an awareness that many have come to see the Eucharist as merely a symbol or a reminder of Jesus’ presence in the past. But the reality is that Jesus is made present to us now in the Eucharist in order to give us the future hope of eternal life.

Today, we are more likely to believe the “simpler” idea that the Eucharist is just a reminder of Jesus’ presence in the past. In early Christianity, however, the disciples of Jesus were more likely to believe the “harder” idea that the bread and wine consecrated at Mass truly become Jesus’ real presence and that the Eucharist is meant to prepare us for eternal life. In fact, history demonstrates that such a belief was effectively taken for granted in the theological controversies of the time.

For example, within the first two centuries of the Church, there was a debate about whether the dead will rise again “in the flesh” at the end of time, or simply remain pure spirits (souls). Remarkably, St. Irenaeus, already around 177 A.D., uses the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist to argue for the resurrection of the dead in the flesh.

Here is what St. Irenaeus writes. “[The bread] having received the Word of God, becomes the Eucharist, which is the body and blood of Christ; so also our bodies, being nourished by it, and deposited in the earth, and suffering decomposition there, shall rise at their appointed time.”

Effectively what St. Irenaeus is saying is that Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist makes us more like Him: body and soul. In receiving Holy Communion, we receive Jesus who has the power to die and to rise, thus conforming our bodies to the mystery of His death and, one day, His bodily resurrection.

But the astounding thing is that Irenaeus uses Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist to prove his point. Such a rhetorical move goes to show how prevalent the belief of Jesus’ real presence was that it could be taken for granted when debating about other things.

The prayers, gestures, and solemnity of Mass are meant to point our minds and hearts towards the reality that Jesus is present. It is true, He is present in the Word of God proclaimed, in the community gathered, and in the person of the priest. But in a special way, Jesus is present in the Eucharist in a way that out-lasts all the rest. His presence in the Blessed Sacrament endures after the proclamation of the word is over and after the priest and the people depart. Jesus’ presence in the Blessed Sacrament will effectively last forever. That is, until it is consumed by us, drawing us into His eternal life.

For this week, how many times does Jesus use the word "flesh" in John chapter six? 

Peace,

Fr. Weber

5.VIII.2024