CHRIST THE BREAD OF LIFE

Prayer before Mass: Almighty and ever-living God, I approach the sacrament of Your only- begottenSon, Our Lord Jesus Christ. I come sick to the doctor of life, unclean to the fountain of mercy, blind to the radiance of eternal light, and poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth. Lord, in Your great  generosity, heal my sickness, wash away my defilement, enlighten my blindness, enrich my poverty, and clothe my nakedness.

May I receive the Bread of Angels, the King of kings and Lord of lords, with humble reverence, with the purity and faith, the repentance and love, and the determined purpose that will help  to bring me to salvation.  

May I receive the sacrament of the Lord’s Body and Blood, and its reality and power. Kind God, may I receive the Body of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, born from the womb of the VirginMary, and so be received into His mystical body and numbered among His members. 

Loving Father, as on my earthly pilgrimage I now receive Your beloved Son under the veil of a sacrament, may I one day see Him face to face in glory, who lives and reigns with You forever. Amen. By Knights of the HolyEucharist.  Mass Readings Lectures  Reflection 

First Reading  Acts 7:5-8:1

Lord Jesus,  recive my spirit

Stephen said to the people, the elders and the scribes: ‘You stubborn people, with your pagan hearts and pagan ears. You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Can you name a single prophet your ancestors never persecuted? In the past they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, and now you have become his betrayers, his murderers. You who had the Law brought to you by angels are the very ones who have not kept it.’ They were infuriated when they heard this, and ground their teeth at him.

But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. ‘I can see heaven thrown open’ he said ‘and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ At this all the members of the council shouted out and stopped their ears with their hands; then they all rushed at him, sent him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses put down their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul. As they were stoning him, Stephen said in invocation, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and said aloud, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them’; and with these words he fell asleep. Saul entirely approved of the killing.

Responsorial Psalm

Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the bread of life, says the Lord.

He who comes to me will never be hungry;

he who believes in me will never thirst.

Alleluia     John 6:35

Gospel    John 6:30-35

It is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven

The people said to Jesus, ‘What sign will you give to show us that we should believe in you? What work will you do? Our fathers had manna to eat in the desert; as scripture says: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’

Jesus answered:

‘I tell you most solemnly, it was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven, it is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven,the true bread; for the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ ‘Sir,’ they said ‘give us that bread always.’ 

Jesus answered: ‘I am the bread of life.

He who comes to me will never be hungry;

he who believes in me will never thirst.’

Lord Jesus Christ, you are the Bread of life, come give yourself to me that I will never be hungry.  You are the living water, come quench my thirst for I am like the woman at the well seeking for things that could not satisfy.  When she found you Lord, her hunger and thirst were met. 

Thank you Lord Jesus Christ for offering yourself to mankind. Thank you for loving me. Lord Jesus Christ I trust in you.  Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist I love and adore you. You are my spiritual food to nourish my soul.