In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything to eat,
Jesus summoned the disciples and said,
“My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,
because they have been with me now for three days
and have nothing to eat.” (Mk 8:1-2)
Do you truly appreciate the great gift of the Eucharist? It is, after all, food for the journey.
Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for us when, on the night He was betrayed, He gave us His own Body and Blood so that we could be nourished in our pilgrimage of life.
Jesus knew the value of food. He knew that, without food, people would starve to death. They would succumb to hunger and collapse as they journeyed. He did not want that to happen.
Which is why, in a few instances in the Gospels, we read about Jesus feeding the multitudes that gathered around to hear Him speak.
However, He also knew that we could be well-fed and still starve spiritually.
That was why He gave us His Body and Blood, so that He could nourish our souls, lest we become weak and faint of heart, stumbling and falling along the way to the Kingdom.
Jesus would never allow that to happen. He will always provide for us.
We, on the other hand, can deprive ourselves of nourishment — material or spiritual.
We need to appreciate that great gift and receive it with confidence and joy.
FAITH ACTION: Reflect upon the meaning of the Eucharist for your own life and prepare yourself to receive it worthily this weekend.