sign in sign up
<<
Home , Bread of Life Discourse

THE BREAD OF LIFE DISCOURSE HEART OF CATECHESIS ... AND SON OF MAN Lesson 15 “WHOEVER EATS MY FLESH AND DRINKS MY BLOOD HAS ETERNAL LIFE, AND I WILL RAISE HIM ON THE LAST DAY.” :54

Jesus is saying these words to those gathered in the synagogue at .

We have the bene- fit of hindsight to know Jesus was talking about His Real Presence in the Holy . His audience heard these words and thought he was speaking of the Manna from the Morgan of Louis the IX Old Testament or 13th Century worse cannibalism.

“As a result of this “AMEN, AMEN, I SAY TO YOU, IT WAS NOT WHO GAVE THE BREAD FROM HEAVEN; many of His disci- MY FATHER GIVES YOU THE TRUE BREAD FROM HEAVEN. ples returned to FOR THE BREAD OF GOD IS THAT WHICH COMES DOWN FROM HEAVEN their former way of AND GIVES LIFE TO THE WORLD.” life and no longer accompanied Him.” John 6:32-33 (John 6:66)

PARENTS’ & CATECHISTS’ READING DID YOU KNOW? REFLECTION & PRAYER

In the Ancient Greek Scripture the verb for “eats” in John 6: 54-58 is Sacred Scripture not the verb the Greeks used for normal human JOHN 6:22-71 The Bread of Life Discourse eating. The word used was “trogo” the verb for an animal eating which translates as “munch or Catechism of the Catholic Church gnaws”. #1373-1374 Re-read the passage and Also…#1322, 1324, 1328, 1336, 1339, 1345,1357, 1358 substitute gnaws for eats. #1367, 1368, 1376, 1377,1384, 1385, 1391, 1394, 1413, and 1415 Page 2 THE BREAD OF LIFE DISCOURSE

STUDENTS’ READING REFLECTION & PRAYER

Sacred Scripture Grades K-4 New Catholic Picture Bible pp. 156-157 The Promise of the Holy Eucharist

Grades 5-12 JOHN 6:22-71 The Bread of Life Discourse

Catechism Grades K-2 First Communion Catechism pp.47-52

Grades 3-6 Baltimore Catechism #1 pp. 124-138 Grades 7-12 Catechism of the Catholic Church #1373-1374

TEACHING STRATEGY & OBJECTIVES

THEME: THE HOLY EUCHARIST IS THE BREAD OF LIFE AND IS REALLY AND TRULY JESUS’ BODY, BLOOD, SOUL, AND DIVINITY

OBJECTIVES: Read in John’s the account of the Bread of Life considering these points:

Jesus is not promising Bread that will fulfill our earthly needs like the Manna in the Desert

Jesus in the Bread of Life which gives Divine Life

Jesus is foretelling His institution of the Holy Eucharist

Jesus does not “sugar coat” His message so the crowds will continue to follow Him

Many who had followed Jesus could not accept His words and went away

Review the SACRAMENT OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST (this will be covered in depth during the Lesson)

OPENING PRAYER: DECADE OF THE ROSARY- FIFTH LUMINOUS THE INSTITUTION OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST AT THE LAST SUPPER JESUS CHRIST...SON OF GOD AND SON OF MAN Lesson 15 Page 3 REVIEW

TERMS COVERED IN LESSON 8-14

THE INCARNATION CONFESSION DIVINITY JESUS CHRIST HOLY ORDERS TRUTH SALVATION ANOINTING OF THE SICK MYSTERY GRACE FAITH MARRIAGE HOPE SIN HOLY EUCHARIST CHARITY ORIGINAL SIN SACRAMENT PRAYER MORTAL SIN HEAVEN REVIEW: VENIAL SIN HELL CONCUPISCENCE PURGATORY

PLEASE CONTINUE TO REVIEW TERMS.

READINGS FROM SACRED SCRIPTURE: THE BREAD OF LIFE DISCOURSE JOHN 6:22-71

CATECHIST PLEASE READ PORTIONS OF THIS STORY WITH YOUR CLASS

WHERE DOES JESUS GIVE THE BREAD OF LIFE DISCOURSE?

A few miles to the west from Julias, where Jesus multiplied the loaves; just across the northern tip of the Sea of in the Synagogue at Capernaum.

WHY ARE THE CROWDS FOLLOWING JESUS?

Some of them figured out where Jesus had gone. Perhaps some were still thinking about making Him king…but most of them, it seems, want to see more miracles and to get a “free lunch” out of Jesus. They are not follow- ing Him because they love Him or because they believe that He is their true Savior and the Son of God…they want to be fed and entertained.

WHAT DOES HE TELL THEM?

Jesus already knows their lack of faith and their hardness of heart. But He also knows that the time has come to teach them about the Bread of Life… the HOLY EUCHARIST. So He begins by telling them that they shouldn’t be chasing after food for the body…but rather, should seek the Bread which comes down from Heaven.

HOW DO THEY REACT?

They say, “give us this bread always.”

HOW DOES JESUS CHALLENGE THEM EVEN MORE?

Jesus tells them that He is the Bread of Life that comes down from Heaven.

DOES THE CROWD BELIEVE HIM?

No… they argue and murmur among themselves, refusing to believe that Jesus came down from Heaven. JESUS CHRIST...SON OF GOD AND SON OF MAN Lesson 15 Page 4

DOES JESUS CHANGE HIS WAY OF TALKING AND SAY HE WAS ONLY USING THE IDEA OF “BREAD FROM HEAVEN” AS A SYMBOL, AND THAT HE IS ONLY TALKING ABOUT FAITH?

No, He does not. He is even clearer about the Mystery, and says, “ THE LIVING BREAD THAT CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN; WHOEVER EATS THIS BREAD WILL LIVE FOREVER; AND THE BREAD THAT I WILL GIVE IS MY FLESH FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD.” [V. 51]

WHAT DO THE CROWDS DO NOW?

They get even more upset…and they “quarrel” among themselves… “how can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

SOREVIEW: DOES JESUS NOW TELL THEM, “I AM ONLY TALKING ABOUT FAITH,” OR, “I AM ONLY TALKING SYMBOLICALLY?”

No…Jesus goes still further. He says that His Flesh is TRUE FOOD and His Blood, TRUE DRINK, and that whoev- er eats His Flesh and Drinks His Blood will live forever.

WHAT DO THE CROWDS DO AFTER JESUS HAS SAID THESE THINGS?

They say, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” They refuse to trust Christ, and they do not even try to un- derstand or believe His words. They leave Jesus… not just the crowds, but also those who worked with Him more closely—His Disciples. It looks as if only the 12 Apostles stay there with Him.

WHICH OF THE APOSTLES SPEAKS UP IN SUPPORT OF JESUS?

Only Peter. This is one of the few times that good old Simon Peter says something wise and good and right! … “You have the words of Eternal Life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.” Even though Peter does not fully understand all of the things that Jesus has just said, he still trusts Jesus and believes in Him. This is a great example of FAITH: THE VIRTUE WHICH GIVES US THE ABILITY TO BE- LIEVE IN GOD AND IN THE MYSTERIES WHICH HE HAS REVEALED and HOPE: THE VIRTUE WHICH GIVES US THE ABILITY TO TRUST COMPLETELY IN GOD.

Jesus in Capernaum Philippe Champaigne, 1666 Page 5 THE BREAD OF LIFE DISCOURSE

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT “EATING” THE BREAD OF LIFE THAT THE CROWDS DID NOT UNDERSTAND?

We know the rest of the story… about the Last Supper and Jesus’ Death and Resurrection. We have the teaching of the Apostles and the teaching of our One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. We believe and know that Jesus really meant everything that He said, and we understand that the Bread of Life is the SACRAMENT OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST.

WHERE DO WE RECEIVE THE BREAD OF LIFE?

We receive the Bread of Life, the Holy Eucharist, at Mass.

WHAT IS THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS?

THE HOLY SACRIFICE JESUS CHRIST’S DEATH AND RESURRECTION ARE MADE OF THE MASS PRESENT FOR THOSE WHO ARE GATHERED, AND WE RECEIVE HIM IN THE HOLY EUCHARIST.

IS THE BREAD OF LIFE REALLY AND TRULY JESUS?

Yes…as we have said many times, the Holy Eucharist… “the Host” is really and truly Jesus’ Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity…

THE HOLY EUCHARIST THE SACRAMENT GIVEN TO US BY JESUS AT THE LAST SUPPER AND AT MASS IN HOLY COMMUNION, THE BREAD OF LIFE IS REALLY AND TRULY JESUS’ BODY, BLOOD, SOUL, AND DIVINITY

WHAT IS THE MATTER, FORM AND EFFECT OF THIS SACRAMENT?

MATTER: THE BREAD AND WINE

FORM: THE WORDS WHICH THE PRIEST SPEAKS AT THE CONSECRATION; “THIS IS MY BODY” … “THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD.”

EFFECT: 1. WE EMBRACE JESUS IN HOLY COMMUNION

2. JESUS STRENGTHENS OUR SOUL AND PERFECTS IT IN HIS IMAGE AND LIKENESS

3. THE VIRTUE OF CHARITY IS PERFECTED WITHIN US. CHARITY IS VIRTUE WHICH GIVE US THE ABILITY TO LOVE WITH GOD’S LOVE

4. IT BRINGS US INTO CLOSER UNION WITH THE CHURCH, AND STRENGTHENS THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH.