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ARE YOU WILLING TO BE BROKEN?

  • Writer: Olufunmilayo Adekusibe
    Olufunmilayo Adekusibe
  • Oct 17, 2024
  • 3 min read

Today’s Readings:

1 Kings 19:4-8

Psalm 34:2-9

Ephesians 4:30-5:2

John 6:41-51

Jesus says that “I am the bread of life which came down from heaven” (John 6:41). To understand this declaration, I will tell you a story I heard recently about my mom. It was a Sunday morning and my last sister was taking my mom to church. A bike man taking some passengers to church, almost hit her because he was trying to avoid a puddle of water. My mom twisted her ankle and fell into the puddle before she could move out of the way. After lifting her out of the puddle, my mom insisted on going for Mass even with her dirty clothes. She cleaned herself up in the toilet in Church and waited for the next Mass. During Mass, she received communion and walked back home without any assistance.  In the months leading to her passing, she was admitted in hospital and was unable to eat. She asked for a priest to bring her communion. After receiving the Eucharist, she got out of bed by herself moments later and ate without any assistance. These two events left my siblings in such awe over the potency of the Eucharist.


In today’s first reading, an angel brings bread and water to Elijah who was exhausted and at the point of death. After eating and drinking, Elijah walked for 40 days and 40 nights to Horeb on the strength of that one meal (1Kg 19:8). This was a prefiguration of the Eucharist which Jesus tells us is "His flesh for the life of the world” (John 6:51). There are two possible reactions to Jesus’ offer of Himself in the Eucharist: you either receive it reverently like my mom or you grumble like the Jews who could not see beyond the Jesus they thought they knew. To receive Jesus in the Eucharist is to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to receive supernatural strength and life and become a sweet-smelling sacrifice to God and to everyone you meet (Ephesians 5:2). By refusing Jesus because of the pleasure you derive from your sins, you anger the Holy Spirit, choose death and become an agent of darkness (a source of pollution) leading others away from God through your actions.


Where does your strength come from? Where does your inspiration, your knowledge, your beauty, your fame, your talent, your friends and popularity come from? They come as gifts from the Eucharist, which the Catechism calls, “The source and summit of the Christian life”. Without Christ in you, you do not have life and you cannot give life. All that you will give is poison, not bread. Your life has to be bread, a sacrifice, offered for others.

                                                                                                JUDE-MARY OWOH



To surrender your life to Christ, say this prayer aloud. “Father, I acknowledge my sin against You. I repent and ask for forgiveness, in the name of Jesus. I surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. By the power of Your Holy Spirit, take control of my heart and lead me in Your path of righteousness. Thank you, Lord.”

If you said the prayer, Congratulations! Prayerfully look for a living church and report to the resident reverend, pastor or priest.



Prayer:

  1. Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit. Lord, help me to be an agent spreading light.

  2. Lord, make me a bread broken for the life of others.

  3. Lord, deliver me from sin and evil and from the occasions of sin.

  4. Lord, fill me with peace and joy from knowing and loving you.

  5. Lord, lead me unto eternal life in heaven. Amen.

  6. May God open your heart to receive His message of peace and open Your eyes to see His glory revealed in Jesus the Bread of Life. Amen.

 
 
 

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