The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.” John 6:52-55

Many years ago, I had an interesting conversation with an extremely honest person. It happened after a Bible study. He shared that he did not feel the need to be saintly. He was by no means a scoundrel or anything of this nature. To the contrary, he was quite a decent person. He was also religious. He liked to talk about God and often shared about his personal conversion experience. He never tired of describing the intensity of his conversion experience. He could name the place and day when it occurred. Even his wife admits that she was surprised over the immediate change in his attitude after that faithful day. He was actively involved in church for some time but after a while, he decided this experience was enough to ensure him that he has secured a place in heaven. Now, he goes about in life pursuing his own personal interest. He is a good father and husband. He runs his own business and all his employees like him. He is an overall nice guy. I like him. I would welcome him into my house any time. Nevertheless, I found it unsettling that the message of the gospel was reduced to one particular moment in his life. It is as if salvation is a vaccine, once you receive it, you can continue to live your life like anyone else. Often, people tell me that I can’t expect everyone to be a missionary or a priest. They are right. It would be a disaster. Missionaries and priests should come in small doses. I just wonder if there is something more to salvation than just getting our spiritual vaccine. It seems like Jesus went through a lot just to give us a passage to heaven. According to the gospel text above, Jesus informs that we need to eat His flesh and drink His blood in order to know eternal life; it will not suffice just using His name to gain entrance at the pearly gates. We need to consume His flesh and blood. What a ghastly idea!

Thankfully, this passage is not common knowledge to our youth. It is not something one randomly reads to someone. Just imagine telling our kids that they need to indulge in spiritual cannibalism to have access to eternal life. It just doesn’t sound right in any circumstance. We can appreciate the sentiments of the people who first heard this. However, the evangelist thought it was so important that he decided to register it for our reflection. It is crucial for our eternal life as Jesus said. In our churches, we made it easier to digest these tough words by linking them to the sacraments. The host and the wine seem so clean and sanitized compared to what Jesus was saying. We hardly think about the gruesome images which Jesus inflicted on his listeners. He could have appeased the disturbed minds by saying that He meant all this in the sacramental sense. Alas, He kept going on and on about the Flesh and the Blood.

We read this text with Felipe. I thought maybe he was ready for it. Understandably, he was puzzled and confused. To my dismay, I realized that I couldn’t really explain it clearly to him. It was too complex to say in a few words but it was too late. I had to think up of something. Like any experienced priest, I diverted the conversation saying that the Bible is not as easy as many think. It contains language which might seem bizarre and strange because the Truth is strange. I think a famous philosopher once said this but I can’t remember his name. Maybe Bertrand Russell? He was right. Felipe settled for my argument. He also knew that I evaded the answer. Eventually, he needs to know. It is about eternal life. It’s crucial for our spirituality. This is why I am trying to work it out here. One day, I have to say something meaningful to the children and teens in the streets about these words.

We use our flesh to experience life in this world. We discover the world through the senses of our body. Our minds can travel to space and back but our body always stays rooted in one tiny space in this vast universe. In this minute area allocated to us, we explore our reality. We come to conclusions about people and society through our bodily experiences. We also discern what is good and bad through them. Our hands and mouth are how we communicate in this world. The same mouth can say loving and hurtful things. The same hands can heal and destroy. In our bodies there is a constant battle to do one or the other. We always end up doing both.

Jesus gives us His flesh to go beyond our limited bodies. He gives us new eyes and ears to experience life from His perspective. Jesus gives us His mouth and hands. They are meant for us to do things that He did. Jesus lived His life to bring peace and reconciliation to those were forgotten and neglected in this world. He looked at things from the perspective of those who were neglected. He refused a space among high places of society. He refused to seek alliance with them even when it was crucial to save His life. He always chose the lowest place to seek those who are lost and forgotten. In the Old Testament, blood is the source of life and it was prohibited for anyone to consume blood. It was such a taboo even the early church made it a primary requirement for Gentile converts. Jesus wants His life source to run through our veins. He wants us to live our lives in the manner He did. In the early church, some took this following Jesus in His journey to a painful and torturous death. Most of us don’t have to follow this course. Thankfully. However, it doesn’t mean that we are to remain in our comfort zone.

“I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” Mahatma Gandhi

It is strange that in this world people know instinctively that to be a Christian means to be like Christ. No one expects a Buddhist to be like Gautama Buddha nor a Hindu to be like Krishna. However, the world recognizes to be a Christian is not just a mere adherent to doctrines. It is an acceptance to become Jesus in this world. It doesn’t mean that we go around saying, “Praise the Lord” or indulging in religious talk and causes. It means that our flesh is to become like His flesh and His blood needs to fuel our lives.

All this sounds great, but it seems next to impossible. Maybe this is the first step. We recognize that it is an impossible task. Perhaps if we feed on Jesus daily, the task might be easier. Most certainly, we cannot depend on one spiritual experience to transform us into Jesus. We have to see Him everyday. He is present in this world. We can find Him in the same places as before. He did tell us that He came to heal the sick and not to be with the well. He is present today among those who need His healing touch. As we seek His face among these people, we will learn to see and live eternal life through His flesh and blood.

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. ” John 6:35

“It’s always the same tiresome conversations: day in and day out.” I knew exactly what Daniel meant. I had heard these conversations just minutes before I ran into him. The teens were talking about the same things which they talked about before the Pandemic. As it happens, it hasn’t changed since we met them. There is just a very limited pool of subjects. Everything is in the shallow end. No one dares to go beyond. It is like making small talk without going anywhere with it. Unfortunately, I have been in countless situations like this. It’s my idea of hell: an eternity of pointless small talk. Daniel was tired of it. I understand. He is not alone. There are many who are tired of the same old routine everyday. It is almost inescapable because it is essential. Daniel has no other place to call home at this moment. His lot is among these homeless children and teens. In order to feel connected to them, he has to participate in this frivolous chatter. Nevertheless, he yearns for something more profound, something that would edify his soul. He desires the bread of Life.

“Maybe one day something interesting might come up and you can talk about something else,” I added. Daniel smiled. It’s a smile that can brighten up anyone’s day. No doubt he is our favorite in the streets. It’s hard to not love this charming young man.

When I arrived at the streets, Daniel had just gotten up. Things have changed now. Before he could have just walked past some restaurant and asked for leftover food. It is not the case now. He woke up too late to beg for money. It takes them a while to get enough money to buy food. Daniel was ravenous. He asked me if I could buy him a snack. I had a better idea. We went to a restaurant and ordered some real food for takeout. Then we found a quiet spot where he could eat his meal in peace. He asked me to say a blessing over the food. Just as I said, “amen”, he surprised me with a short prayer of his own. He prayed for Mary and gave thanks for the fact that we are going to have times together like before. It was clear that he was in the mood to talk but his rice and beans were waiting.

“I remember everything we did together.” These were his words in-between bites. This is the second time he has told us this since the Pandemic. We met briefly on one or two occasions in the last ten months or so. We had done a lot of things with Daniel: museums, libraries and sometimes just having coffee and cake in a small cafe. He was always careful to order the cheapest things on the menu. He was just that kind of person; always respectful and considerate of others. “What was your favorite part?” I asked. “Everything. It brought something different to my life.” Daniel was always up for something new ever since he was a young child. Maybe it is because the happiest time he had was when he travelled with his father together with his older brother, Dreyson, all over Brazil. At first, they thought that their father enjoyed their company. Later on they discovered that he was using them to beg for money. People tend to give more when there are children involved, especially when they are adorable like Dreyson and Daniel.

He asked me if he received any letters. I was quite surprised that he remembered them. I don’t why. Maybe because it seemed so long since we did this. Things we did before the Pandemic seem like a vague memory now. Amazingly, Daniel remembered all the letters. He mentioned one in particular which had dried pressed flowers. A lady from Florida thought that he would like to see the flowers that grew in her garden. I remembered that he was really impressed by them. “Those flowers looked beautiful even though they are dead.” He further impressed me by describing them in detail. Honestly, I can’t even remember the name of the person who sent them. Hopefully, she will forgive me for my forgetfulness. He wasn’t quite done yet. He added that the flowers were like the time we spent together. They are precious beautiful moments that are carefully pressed and kept in a special place in his heart. “However, ” he went on to say, “they are not dead.” He paused for a moment. He was trying to find the words. I told him that I didn’t really understand what he was trying to say. Then, he explained that those flowers are gone forever even though their beauty is preserved. However, our friendship is different. It is from God. The memories that he had were really his hope that one day God will resurrect it. Suddenly he smiled again. He found his words. This is the difference between life with God and without Him. You know that God is able to resurrect things that appear to be dead. I realized that the months of separation and isolation had given Daniel the impression that everything was gone. It’s understandable. However, now he sees that God is able to resurrect all the good things in his life. This, he concluded, like the story of Jesus. Everyone thought that he was gone forever, then God resurrected Him. With God, there is also the hope of Resurrection. Daniel had spoken. It is amazing that he got all this from a simple pressed flower. This young man has a genuine theologian in him.

Being isolated and subjected to frivolous conversations day in and day out hasn’t stopped Daniel from going beyond what meets the eye. I filled his stomach with food, more specifically rice and beans with a little piece of chicken. The Bread of Life came to him through a flower that a lady sent just as a simple gesture to share some of the beauty she enjoys in this world. Jesus used it to show us the power of His Resurrection.