The eternal life

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

This Sunday we continue listening to St John’s Gospel, it is part of the discourse where Jesus describes himself as the bread of life. Today, Jesus takes us deeper into this mystery. Today, Jesus encourages us to believe in his words. He knows that we cannot fully understand him, when he says, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” Jesus wants us to accept that he can save us and give us eternal life.

Jesus knows, that similarly to the Jews, we too ask questions and have our doubts. Difficult situations, troubles and injustices, all try our faith. When in such situations we lose hope, we face the same questions made by the Jews … who is Jesus? These are the moments when we need to pray more, we need to pray for faith, we need to pray to believe that we can have eternal life. We need to move away from what can be proven. The Jews were too attached to what they knew about Jesus, so they could not accept Jesus’ true identity.

Today, Jesus wants us to accept his teaching, which is truth. This teaching will lead us to recognise the Father. This teaching is our salvation. 

In this reading, Jesus clearly states that the bread he is referring to is the Eucharist, “the bread that I will give is my flesh.” This reminds us of his total self-giving on the cross. Jesus gave his life, so that we may have eternal life. 

The Eucharist changes us to be more like Jesus. His teachings become part of our life. The Eucharist changes our life style, our attitude towards others. It gives us strength and courage to see Jesus in others, in those who wish to receive our love, our help or our forgiveness. Jesus lives in each and every one of us.

A reading from the Gospel of John (Jn 6, 41-51)

The Jews murmured about Jesus because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven,” and they said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph?  Do we not know his father and mother?  Then how can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 

Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop murmuring among yourselves.  No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day.  It is written in the prophets: They shall all be taught by God. Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.  Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father.  Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 

I am the bread of life.  Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. 

I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

  1. Read the Gospel story so that you are familiar with it.
  2. Reflect on what the Gospel is saying to you. Which points would you highlight and why?
  3. Think about your attitude towards the Eucharist. Is it just a habit? An obligation? Do you approach the Eucharist with reverence and belief in the One whom you are going to receive?
  4. What is your relationship with Jesus? When do you pray? Do you pray only in time of need or is prayer an integral part of your daily life? Pray for faith.
  5. Together with your family find the right time to read this gospel. The environment helps, so before you start, prepare:
    i. The Bible reading from St John (6, 41-51)
    ii. A candle
    iii. Cover the table with a green clot
    vi. A computer/laptop with the reading and clips
  6. Go through the steps with your children (2 age groups are being suggested)
  7. Feel free to adapt to your situation
  8. Be creative 😊
  9. Go to the Prayer Corner section to continue praying as a family

Today, we are going to hear Jesus who is continuing to talk to the people. However, many were not understanding him. Jesus tells them that he is the son of God, but they knew him as Mary’s and Joseph’s son, so this really confused them!

  • Jesus knows that we do not always understand him, however he wishes us to continue to learn and to become his friends
  • Printout
  • Pencil 
PrintoutDownload

Did you ever complete one of those “join the dots” pictures? The first time ones looks at such a picture, it does not immediately make sense. When one joins the many dots, they form a picture which at first may not have been clear. Today, you have one of these pictures. Can you guess what picture is it? It is difficult to say!

With the help of your parents, join the dots. Now that it is ready, is it still difficult to describe the picture?

Today’s Gospel is not easy to understand. However, Jesus asks us not to give up. The “join the dots” picture was not clear when you first saw it. Similarly, Jesus tells us that sometimes his teachings are difficult to understand at first. We should continue listening to more stories about Jesus and little by little we will start to understand what he wants to tell us. Jesus helps you to understand him, in the same way that mummy and daddy helped you to join the dots. We all need help to understand what Jesus is telling us. Do you know who can help you understand? People like mummy, daddy, teachers and catechists, priests, and all those who are friends of Jesus, help us to understand what Jesus is telling us. 

Today, Jesus is asking us to believe him, to believe that he is the son of God. Jesus wants us to believe that he loves us so much, that when we receive the Eucharist, we will be receiving him. We cannot understand all this, but we believe it. The more we grow up, and the more we get to know Jesus, the more we will understand what Jesus is telling us.
Today, Jesus mentions the ‘Father’, several times. Do you know that God is also our father? Do you know that there is a prayer we say to our father, whom we cannot see, and who loves us a great deal? In today’s activity, we will learn this prayer. Even if you already know it, say it together with your parents, see this prayer in images and do the activities too.

Sign of the cross.

Say the Our Father and afterwards watch it as an action song.

Today’s Gospel reminds us of a similar one we heard a few weeks back. While Jesus was teaching the people who knew him when he was a child, they found it difficult to accept that the boy whom they saw growing up, and whom they knew very well, was now saying things such as “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”

  • The Eucharist helps us become more like Jesus and believe in his teachings
  • Two boxes, to stick on them, the pictures of the dustbin and heart
  • Glue
  • Printout
  • Scissors 
PrintoutDownload

The people listening to Jesus, did not understand him. Today’s reading is quite difficult for us to understand. The following questions will make it easier for us to understand it.

Where did Jesus say he had come from? (from heaven)

Why did the people refuse to listen to Jesus? (they knew Jesus, they knew his mother and father, so they did not want to believe that he came from heaven)

Who is our greatest teacher according to Jesus? (God)

How can we come to know God the Father? (first, we need to get to know Jesus)

Jesus describes himself as … (the bread of life)

What happens to those who eat this bread of life? (they live forever)

Can we receive this bread of life? (yes, in the Eucharist)

Where, will we live for ever? (in heaven, with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit)

When we receive the Eucharist, we believe that Jesus comes to us in a very special way. We also believe, that the Eucharist is food for our soul. It helps us to become more like Jesus. In today’s Epistle (an epistle is one of the letters from the apostles to early Christians, included as a book in the New Testament), St Paul tells the Ephesians, “be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another and live in love, as Christ loved us.” He also mentions qualities which we should not imitate, like “bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling.”Today we have a game, it is also a teaching game! In today’s activity, you have a picture of a dustbin and a heart. Stick this on the boxes, one on each. Cut out the words and mix them up. Guess in which box, you should put the words (note to parents, help them understand any difficult words). If there are words in the box with the dustbin, and you know that you have some of these bad qualities, try to stop doing them. Pray, so that you have the courage to change, pray especially after you receive the Eucharist. If there are qualities in the box with the heart, which you do not have, pray that you may have these good qualities.

Sign of the cross.

Thank you, Jesus, for wanting to continue teaching us, even when we find it difficult to understand you. Help us, so that we become more like you. Today, we want to pray for those who refuse to get to know you, and for those who do not want to believe you. We also want to ask you, to help us believe that each time we receive communion, you are with us in a very special way.

As part of your prayer, listen to, Help me see, so that you remember who God is.

1. According to today's Gospel, when the people heard Jesus say that he is the bread that came down from heaven, they began to...

Correct! Wrong!

2. Jesus answered and said to those who grumbled, that whoever believed in him would have

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3. In today's Gospel, Jesus spoke about the people who had lived in the wilderness. What did these people eat?

Correct! Wrong!

4. According to Jesus, what is the bread that he gives for the life of the world?

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How to use this space

God speaks to us in many ways, including through the Sunday Scripture readings. Here you will find useful background and activities to better understand the upcoming Sunday's Scripture readings, helping you to connect the Scripture to daily life in a meaningful way.