Our reflection from this week’s Gospel is:

“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.”

In the beginning, the Lord gave breath to all living creatures and created man and woman in His own image and likeness. Now, the Lord stands before the assembled multitudes and states unabashedly that He is the Lord of life and that those who come to Him in faith will live forever. Jesus institutes the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist so that we might live with Him for all eternity. By drawing near to the Lord Jesus in the sacraments, we approach the source of everlasting life and trust that He alone can lead us through the valley of the shadow of death into the joys of eternal life. Food and drink are necessary for any journey; Jesus makes it abundantly clear that only the food and drink of His Body and Blood will give us the nourishment we need to experience the good life here on earth and the joy of eternal life in heaven.

We pray together: St. Jude, the Lord opens the way to eternal life. May my sharing in this gift increase my love and strengthen my faith.