Reflection for April 24 Friday of the Third Week of Easter: John 6:52-59

Gospel: John 6:52-59

The Jews quarrelled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink.  

Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever." These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

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Reflection:

What is the difference between those of us who are regular communicants and those of us who do not partake of the Body of Christ in Holy Communion?

When we come before the Lord in Holy Mass with humble and open hearts, and when we allow ourselves to be nourished by the Body of Christ, something sacred begins to unfold within us. Slowly and quietly, yet powerfully and surely, we are being transformed by Him to become more Christ-like.

What does this mean for us? It means that each time we receive the Body of Christ, we are not merely participating in a ritual—we are entering into a living encounter with Jesus Himself. We welcome Him into our very being, and in doing so, we open our hearts to become His living presence in the world.

We are invited to become His hands that serve, His voice that speaks truth and compassion, and His heart that loves without condition. We are called to be His ambassadors—not only in words, but in the way we live our daily lives.

Yet, we must honestly ask ourselves: do we truly allow this transformation to take place within us? Do we sincerely surrender our hearts so that the Body of Christ may nourish and change us from within? Many of us receive Holy Communion regularly, yet we remain the same. We hold on to our old ways, our wounds, our pride, and our sinfulness. We receive Jesus, but we resist His transforming grace.

But when we truly allow Christ to dwell within us, the signs begin to show. We begin to live out His teachings—not out of obligation, but out of love. We learn to forgive those who have hurt us, even when it is difficult. We begin to let go of our pride and arrogance. We strive, with His grace, to overcome our sinfulness. Little by little, our lives start to reflect His presence.

And so, we are invited to reflect more deeply: Are we merely receiving the Body of Christ, or are we allowing Him to transform our lives? Are we truly becoming His presence in the world, or are we holding back parts of ourselves from Him?

As we come before the Lord, may we have the courage to open our hearts completely and surrender everything to Him—our weaknesses, our struggles, and even our resistance. For in every Holy Communion, Jesus gives Himself fully to us.

The question is: are we willing to give ourselves fully to Him in return, and allow Him to transform us into His living presence in the world?—Marino J. Dasmarinas