Gospel in Art: For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink

Elevation of the Eucharist, from 'Della Rovere Missal' illuminated by Master of the della Rovere Missals for Cardinal Domenico della Rovere Rome, 1485-90 Purchased by J Pierpont Morgan, 1907

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 18 August 2024
John 6:51-58

Jesus said to the crowd: 'I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world.'

Then the Jews started arguing with one another: 'How can this man give us his flesh to eat?' they said. Jesus replied:

'I tell you most solemnly, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you. Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise him up on the last day.

For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him. As I, who am sent by the living Father, myself draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me will draw life from me. This is the bread come down from heaven; not like the bread our ancestors ate: they are dead, but anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.'

Reflection on the illuminated manuscript

Francis Xavier Van Thuan was the Archbishop of Saigon, now known as Ho Chi Minh City. He endured 13 years of imprisonment in North Vietnam, nine of which were spent in solitary confinement. During his captivity, a copy of the New Testament was covertly smuggled into the prison for the Catholic inmates. To share God's word among themselves, the prisoners tore the New Testament into small sections, which were then distributed. Each prisoner committed their piece to memory. At sunset, they would take turns reciting aloud the passage they had memorised. After his release, Archbishop Van Thuan reflected on how profoundly moving it was to hear the Word of God recited with such deep faith in the midst of silence and darkness. He remarked that in those moments, the presence of God in his Word was undeniably felt.

The prisoners' action of tearing up the New Testament into sheets and passing them around so to ensure that every prisoner could have a personal encounter with the Lord's word reminds me of what happens at Mass with regard to the consecrated bread. It is given out in small pieces too, so that all can share in it. The prisoners shared the bread of the word because they had no access to the bread of the Eucharist. We are fortunate to have access to both!

In today's Gospel reading Christ offers us his flesh to eat and his blood to drink. This is an even deeper form of communion with the Lord and with each other than is possible through the sharing of the bread of the word alone. Our illuminated Roman manuscript from circa 1485 shows the elevation of the Eucharist. As the Eucharist is elevated during Mass, we witness the profound mystery of Christ's sacrifice. The consecrated bread and wine become his body and blood, offering us the deepest possible communion with Jesus.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/john-6-51-58-2024/