During the next five Sundays we will have a continuous reading of selections from the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel.

This chapter begins this Sunday with the ‘Feeding of the Five Thousand.’  Next Sunday we have the buildup to the astonishing moment where Our Lord reveals himself as the ‘Bread of Life’.

Belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist is integral to our Catholic faith.  In response to many challenges in the 1960’s Pope St Paul VI wrote an important letter to all the faithful restating the timeless truth that Our Lord is really, truly and substantially present in the Eucharist under the appearance or form of bread and wine.  It is vital for us to deepen our faith in this mystery.

There are some special prayers to be said before receiving Holy Communion to prepare ourselves well for the grace of this wonderful sacrament. Perhaps you learnt some of these prayers when preparing for your first Holy Communion. Here is one example.

“I most firmly believe, O Jesus, that in this holy Sacrament you are present truly and indeed; that here is your Body and Blood, your Soul and your Divinity. I believe that you, my Saviour, true God and true Man, are really here, with all your treasures; that here you communicate yourself to us, make us partakers of the fruit of your Passion, and give us a pledge of eternal life. I believe there cannot be a greater happiness than to receive you worthily, nor a greater misery than to receive you unworthily. All this I most steadfastly believe, because it is what you have taught us by your Church.”

Fr Behr.