“Eucharistic Amazement”

Week 1:
In the Eucharist, we participate in the Redemption of the World
 

Dear brothers and sisters,
For the next five weeks at Sunday Mass, we will hear from the Gospel of John chapter 6. This chapter isJesus’ so-called “Bread of Life” discourse in John’s Gospel. Each of the four Gospel writers have their own unique perspective in their telling of the story of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. John the Apostle is unique in many respects in his storytelling, including when he speaks about the Eucharist and the Last Supper. For example, in John’s Gospel, there is no mention at the Last Supper about Jesus’ Institution of the Eucharist (John chapter 13). Instead, John tells us about Jesus’ Washing of the Feet, which we reenact in ritual during the Holy Thursday Mass each year. As a kind of substitution to teach us about the Eucharist, John shares the story of Jesus’ teaching his disciples in Galilee, which we hear about in chapter 6. I encourage you to read John chapter 6 several times as we go through this summer series.