Our Venerable Father Leo, Bishop of Catania.
1 John 4:20-5:21; Mark 15:1-15.
Read 1 John 4:20-5:21
John tells us that the Father has borne witness to His Son Jesus Christ, and this testimony is “that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who has not the Son of God has not life” (1 Jn. 5:11-12). It is simple: there is no eternal life outside of partaking of the eternal life of the Son of God. And how are we to partake in His life? Jesus tells us: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever.” (Jn. 6:53-58). Jesus Himself is the true Bread of Life Who came down from heaven. To be initiated to the banquet to receive Him, we are first baptized and sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit so that we too become partakers of His death and Resurrection.
In a few short weeks, we will begin the Great Fast and our annual celebrations of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. Recall the thanksgiving prayer that the faithful sing after receiving the Eucharist: “We thank You, Christ our God, that You deemed us worthy of becoming partakers of Your most pure Body and Your precious Blood poured out for all the world for the remission of sins. Your Mystery of salvation. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!” Through Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice on the cross, humanity has been offered the forgiveness of sins. Today, let us pray with gratitude for the gift of Christ and the eternal life He extends to us.