Sunday, June 3, 2012

John 6:27


“Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” (Jn.6:27)

The feast of the Body of Christ runs a risk: that Jesus offered to us today as Bread, might be admired, contemplated, adored along the streets and squares, but then He remains closed in the monstrance and tabernacle.

But Jesus says: “take and eat”! So how should we live concretely the gift of the Eucharist?

We need to take and eat. That is transform ourselves into Jesus, to be Him. To live not for ourselves, but that Jesus might be, live and work among Christians.

Christians then, among themselves, if they want to be totally committed, must conduct themselves as members of one body. But this is not enough. During the day this communion must become concrete in social relations in a spiritual communion in actions and material goods.

This applies for Christians. But for those who do not communicate in the sacrament of the Body of Christ? We ourselves must be communion for them with our body: by loving we give Jesus.

Indeed, allowing ourselves to be "eaten" by others, we make ourselves Eucharist for them. Letting ourselves to be eaten means to be people who do not impose themselves, but who make themselves one with everyone, suffering with those who suffer, rejoicing with those who rejoice, participating in the life, problems, struggles, and joys of others.

In a continual giving of love they make of themselves a bridge between Jesus and humanity so that the invitation of Jesus will reach the others: “Take and eat, this is My Body!”.

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An Experience of Life:

At work something that always saddened me a lot was to see that, when a reprimand was to be given, it was done before everyone; in fact it happened that a coworker was reprimanded in the department.

I always asked Jesus that there might be a good time to do something about this. Sometime ago there was a trade union meeting and at the end of a talk of a union organizer he asked if there were any questions or problems to deal with. It was the opportune moment to intervene. And so I raised my hand and I explained my point of view, saying that I had witnessed reproaches made to colleagues in public and with offensive words and I saw it was not right: if a colleague had worked badly or had made a mistake, it was the duty of the manager to let him know, but it should have taken place between them.

My words caused a general murmur of approval. A few days after our union rep told me that my speech was very important; she knew that they had spoken at the summit and we both noted that afterwards we did not witness a similar scene. She once said: "I willing talk with you because you are a humane and fair person. I was once like you too; I tried to help everyone, then I saw that when I myself needed help no one did anything, so now I just mind my own business.

I listened to her trying to "make myself one" and I sensed that there was a lot of suffering under her words. I told her that I understood because I had to face in life many trials, but one thing I was certain: to turn ones back on people was not the right solution to be well.
 
(Daniela, VR)