20B, SUNDAY HOMILY, JOHN 6:51-58, AUGUST 18, 2024
1. STORY
John, a young
soldier, was injured in battle. His
chances for recovery were very good. However,
there was one problem as he refused to eat. His soldier friend visited him in the hospital
and told the doctors he would not eat because he was homesick. He suggested that they get his parents to
visit him as a possible solution. His
friend was ordered to visit the parents and get them to come to visit their
son. As the father was about to leave
home, his wife suggested he bring along a large loaf of homemade bread, a
favorite of John’s. At the hospital, the
father told John that he had bought his mother’s homemade bread. This made him happy; and from that point on,
he began to eat. Bread saved his life.
2. GOSPEL, JOHN
6:51-58
A. I AM THE
LIVING BREAD
i) This bread is
special as it comes from heaven. It
can’t be purchased nor can it be made at home.
ii) It is so special that it caused a quarrel among the people. They asked, “How can he give us his flesh to eat?”
B. WHOEVER EATS
THIS BREAD WILL LIVE FOREVER
Jesus tells us
two effects of eating this bread.
i) He remains in
us and we remain in him.
ii) “I will raise
him up on the last day.” By this, Jesus
means we will live forever.
3. APPLICATION TO
LIFE
A. CHRIST
PROVIDES US WITH SPIRITUAL FOOD.
i) Food is
essential for our bodies and we must eat each day. Without food, we would die of starvation.
ii) Spiritual food is essential for our souls. Jesus provides us with this food in the Eucharist. He is the only one who has the power to give it to us. He makes it very easy for us to get this food. We should receive the Eucharist each time we attend Mass.
B. CHRIST GIVES
US ETERNAL LIFE.
i) The Eucharist
gives us strength to resist the many temptations that are around us.
ii) The Eucharist
gives us the strength to be Christ’s disciples, his friends, so that we can
help others as he did.
iii) The
Eucharist gives us eternal life, a life of happiness in heaven.
4. CONCLUSION
John, the wounded
soldier, was saved by his mother’s homemade bread. Jesus is the bread of life. We are blessed by Jesus who provides us with
this spiritual food. The food gives us
strength to resist temptations, the strength to be his followers, and to help
others as he did. This bread, the
Eucharist, gives us eternal life. Today
we thank Jesus for giving us this wonderful gift. We thank Jesus for making it so easy to
receive the Eucharist. We ask Jesus to
strengthen our faith so as to receive this great gift each time we attend Mass.
