John 6: 51-58

When a foreigner comes over to the Philippines, one thing he notices is that the Filipino loves to eat and drink. Filipino breakfast is already one of the heaviest meals in the world. Then it is followed by morning snacks, then lunch, then there are afternoon snacks and then dinner. Just before sleeping, there is “midnight snack.”

For the body to function well and be healthy, eating the right food and drink are very important like vegetables and fruits. On the other hand, if we eat the wrong food, sickness follows. Nowadays we always hear of lifestyle disease like heart problems, cancer, and diabetes. These are caused by lack of exercise and eating the wrong food.

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. The bread becoming the Body of Christ and the blood becoming the Blood of Christ. These are what we receive during the Holy Communion. 

The question now is, what are the benefits of receiving the Body and Blood of Christ?

1. The Body of Christ is food for our soul. Remember that in this world, there is the material and the spiritual. Remember that we are composed of body and soul. God is the creator of our soul hence he alone can strengthen our soul through the Body of Christ. Communion gives us strength amidst the many inner battles that we struggle with.
2. We join Christ at the Last Supper. At the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the Eucharist. He broke the bread and said, “Take this all of you and eat it, this is my Body which will be given up to you.” Hence, when we receive his Body, we become one with the disciples and the millions of people around the world who receive the communion.
3. Love of God. In our faith, we use our senses to be one with the holy: we touch the hand of St. Philip Neri when we pray his prayer; we put our hands in the image of the Divine Mercy; we listen to Christian music to be in touch in God. In the Holy Communion, we eat and receive the greatest love.

If you look into the world there is so much hunger, not only physical but also Spiritual. “I am the bread of life, he who comes to me shall not hunger.”