In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “For I came down from Heaven, not to do My will, but the will of the One who sent me” (Jn 6:38). Jesus has a profound consciousness of having been sent, of being on a mission. He also says in John 6:32, “My Father gives you the true Bread from Heaven.” But what is this Bread? He says in verse 35, “I am the Bread of Life.” Jesus is sent to be given by the Father to others. Sent to be a gift. He is not sent just to wander around and to enjoy Himself. He is sent to be given. The missioner is a gift. Mission is not just about work, but also about the gift of oneself. Jesus fulfills His mission by giving Himself, His flesh, His presence to others as the Father wills it. The presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is a gift and the fulfillment of His mission. “This is My Body for you, My Blood for you.” Always for you. For all. The Eucharist is a privileged moment to experience Jesus’ mission as a gift of Himself. … Who will accept? Jesus told His listeners in the Gospel of John, chapter 6, that to receive Him, to accept Him, means first, to believe in Him, and secondly, to eat His Flesh and drink His Blood. The disciples who were initially eager to listen to Him started doubting. They said, “This saying is hard. It’s hard. It’s difficult. Who can accept it?” As a result of this, many of Jesus’ disciples left Him: “They returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied Him” (Jn 6:66). They returned to a way of life without Jesus. They chose His absence rather than His presence in their lives. Instead of accompanying Him, they walked alone. I invite you, dear brothers and sisters, to pause and ask rather painful questions about this mysterious rejection of Jesus by His disciples. Is it possible that we, His disciples, contribute also to the departure of others from Jesus? Why do some people leave Jesus when He is giving the most precious gift of eternal life? Why do some baptized turn away from the gift of Jesus in the Eucharist? Does our biblical, catechetical, and liturgical formation allow the gift of Jesus’ Person to shine forth clearly? Does our Eucharistic celebration manifest Jesus’ presence, or does Share the Gift! Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect for the Section of Evangelization of the Dicastery for Evangelization of the Holy See, celebrated the closing Mass of the National Eucharistic Congress on July 21. Addressing a gathering of 50,000 faithful in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, he reflected on the Congress theme, “Remain in Me,” from the Gospel of John (see Jn 15:4). Here is an excerpt from his homily. Eucharistic Congress 12 Marian Helper • Fall 2024 • Marian.org IG/eucharistic_revival
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