Message of Abbot Paul - Friday 6th May

Abbot Paul • May 6, 2022

Message from Fr Paul for Friday, 6th May 2022

I did warn you yesterday that things might get difficult over the next few days, but I hadn’t imagined that it would happen so soon and in the U.K. Having paid extra for WiFi at a Travelodge near Heathrow, it didn’t work and my iPad refused to accept it as it only provided an insecure connection. Not to worry, I’ll try sending this brief message early in the morning from Heathrow. I particularly enjoyed the drive from Burford along country lanes rather than on the motorway and it took less than an hour and a half.

Our Gospel reading for today, John 6: 52-59, presents us with the conclusion of the discourse on the Bread of Life. His hearers comment on Jesus’ words, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Admittedly, it was an unexpected turn in his discourse, which reminds us of his words over the bread and wine at the Last Supper, “This is my body. This is my blood.” In fact, Jesus replies that if they do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, they will not have life in them, for only those who eat his flesh and drink his blood have eternal life. His words are clear and have no need of explanation, only of acceptance. This is what the Church accepted and believed from the beginning and continues to believe today. This is what we believe the Eucharist to be. He states categorically, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I in them.” Tomorrow we will hear the reaction of the crowd and of his disciples too. I wonder how we would have reacted had we been in Capernaum that day. What do you think?

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