“Whoever eats this bread will live forever.” –John 6:51
Real Presence is what the Church calls the reality of Christ in our Eucharist. This isn’t artificial presence, the sort we give to people we pretend to listen to while our thoughts are light years away. It’s not like the cardboard cutout of Pope Francis you can take a selfie with while the actual Pope is back in Rome. Real Presence is the same as Emmanuel, the name for Jesus that means “God-with-us.” The Living Bread that came down from Heaven is with us always, until the end of time.
Real Presence is real food. It’s not the kind that sustains our bodies for a day, much less the sugar hit that feels good for all of 30 seconds until we’re inspired to have another. Real Presence remains through eternity, which is much longer than any companionship we’ve ever enjoyed. If you’re going to stop for a meal, this is one meal you can’t afford to miss. Once a week, if not every day, you’re invited to be as present to God as God desires to be present to you. Come and see.
Whose presence in your life has always felt especially whole and comprehensive?
To whom are you most fully present?
LET US PRAY…
Lord, you give us the gift of the Eucharist to remind us of the goodness of shared bread and the thirst we all have for justice and peace. Create in us a desire to be generous with those who are in need. Let us serve you in our sisters and brothers, always seeking your face in the faces of the poor. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
While The Gospel at Home takes a break in the summer months, we’ll be drawing our weekly reflections from Exploring the Sunday Readings.
Image credit: Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
