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THE BREAD FOR THE JOURNEY: BENEFITS OF RECEIVING THE EUCHARIST WORTHILY BY REV FR VICTOR IBIYEMI

AUGUST 11, NINETEEN SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME- I KINGS 19:4-8, PSALM 34, EPHESIANS 4:30-5:2, JOHN 6:51, JOHN 6:41-51.
On this Sunday, Christ takes us a step further in his teaching on the Bread of Life as he declares the necessity of the Eucharist as we journey on earth towards God. In the first reading, Elijah the prophet was at the point of death. He was tired, frustrated and even prayed for death. However, he was saved and sustained by the heavenly food provided by an Angel. The Angel had to make him eat this heavenly food twice to have enough strength for his long Journey. After which he walked for forty days and forty night to the Mountain of the Lord. 

We cannot successfully walk our different journeys in this world to Heaven (the mountain of the Lord) without the necessary strength and sustenance, which the Eucharist provides. The psalmists gives us reasons why we must Taste/Eat the Eucharist. When we receive the Holy Eucharist, these things will happen to us: 1) His praise will always be in our mouth. 2) Our souls will always glory in the Lord. 3) He will deliver us from all fears. 4) We will be radiant and our faces will never be abashed. 5) When we call, he will answer. 6) The Angel of the Lord will always surround us. 7) He will always be our place of refuge. St. Paul in the second reading warns us against grieving the Holy Spirit and thus he gives us the right disposition to receiving the Eucharist. We cannot receive Jesus with all the bitterness, fury and anger in our lives. We cannot receive him with malice, reviling and hatred buried in us. We must forgive one another as God has forgiven us to make ourselves worthy to receive him. In the Gospel, the Jews murmured as ever and displayed two negative attitudes towards the Eucharist that is common amongst us Catholics. They are: 1) Ignorance/Lack of true understanding of the Eucharist and 2) Contempt based on familiarity. These two diseases lead to abject Disbelief. 

Nevertheless, Jesus seized that opportunity to teach the Eucharist emphatically again that: 1) Without the Eucharist, there is no access to the father 2) The Eucharist is the food and assurance for Resurrection 3) The Eucharist assures our Eternity in God.

What are you then waiting for my brothers and sisters? Why are you resisting God by not participating in the Eucharist? Why do you not want to taste and see how good God is? As we reflect today on the blessings of the Eucharist, let us come back to Him for those who have stopped. For those who have not started yet, prepare yourselves and begin to taste the goodness of the Lord. For those who are not receiving worthily, make amends and begin to receive Jesus Christ worthily into your souls. At every Eucharist, may Christ draw us to himself to enjoy all the benefits of communing with him through Christ our Lord.


On behalf of the Parish priest Rev Fr Victor Ibiyemi, we wish you a very wonderful week that is full of joy and testimonies through christ our lord. Amen.

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