This weekend, and for the following four weekends, we interrupt our continuous reading of the gospel of Mark and read from the gospel of John.  The Sunday Lectionary (the collection of readings and psalms) has three “liturgical years”, i.e. Year A- the gospel of Matthew, Year B- the gospel of Mark (with John), and Year C – the gospel of Luke.  Mark’s gospel is much shorter than Matthew’s and Luke’s, making room for the gospel of John. In addition to its use in Year B, the gospel of John is read in each liturgical year during Lent, on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday, as well as Advent and Christmas. 

The gospel of John was the last of the four gospels to be composed and disseminated to the Church.  The first three gospels were finished before the destruction of the Temple in 69 A.D.  John is believed to have been composed around the year 90 A.D.  Unique to the gospel of John is the miracle at Cana, the Samaritan woman at the well, the healing of Bartimaeus, the man born blind, and the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead. 

The gospels these five weeks are excerpts from chapter 6, known as “the Bread of Life discourse.”  Unlike Matthew, Mark, and Luke, John presents the story of the Eucharist earlier in Jesus’ ministry.  Jesus presents himself to skeptical crowds who are scandalized that he says, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life within you.”  Many leave him and reject his teachings.  He asks Peter, the leader of the apostles if he is going to leave also.  Peter replies, “Master, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.”

With the successful conclusion of the National Eucharist Congress in Indianapolis last weekend, the great work of recognizing the Eucharist as “the bread of life” and “the sacred body and precious blood of the Lord” begins anew.  The sacrament of the Eucharist celebrated daily, and especially on Sunday, is the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to “be with us until the end of the age.”  The Eucharist on Sunday is not simply an obligation, but rather a sacred privilege to experience the real presence of Jesus Christ.  There really is no other place we can go to experience the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of the Risen Christ.  Peter’s words remind us of this precious privilege.  To whom shall we go?  Jesus our Lord not only has the words of eternal life, but he also feeds us his flesh and his blood.