Opening Prayer – Most Holy Body & Blood
Lord you are the bread of life.
You are the manna sent from heaven.
The one who fills us, nourishes us, sustains us.
Without you we would be empty.

Journal/Reflection Questions
Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a
• One cannot live on bread alone. How does this apply to your life right now? What is the “bread” you live on?
• What is the symbolism of the “hunger”? How do you experience hunger in your life?
1 Corinthians 10:16-17
• When you receive the Body and Blood of Christ at communion, you become a living tabernacle. How do others see Christ in you?
• One cannot live on bread alone, when we receive communion, we must also be transformed by the Word. What
John 6:51-58
• The sacrifice made by Jesus on the cross is the foundation of the Eucharist. What do you sacrifice when you come to altar to receive Christ’s Body and Blood?
• What does God provide you in order to continue on the path to discipleship? What more do you need on your journey of faith? Pray to God for these things and the help to continue on.

General Questions for Journaling
• What can you learn about trusting God from these readings? What do you need to change in your life in order to trust God more completely?
• Have you had desert experiences in your life? Can you look back and see God “feeding” you in those times? What carried you out of the desert place? Are you still in one?
• What does it mean to have “blind trust”? Have you experienced this? What was the situation? Was easy or difficult?
• What are the emotions, feelings associated with hunger? How are they different than the emotions, feelings of being satisfied?
• It is said you are what you eat so it only makes sense that when you make good food choices you feel better about yourself. What are some bad food choices you make which you can pray for the strength to change; not only for better health but also stronger spirit?
• Is the food God gave to the people in the desert different or the same as what He offers to you?
• The word Eucharist means Thanksgiving. Reflect on how our Sunday celebration is like the holiday.
• How does God nourish you? What specific food does He give to you to feast on?

Closing Prayer
ALL: Bless us O Lord
and these thy gifts
which we are about to receive
from thy bounty
through Christ Our Lord
AMEN

Challenge for the Week: We cannot thrive in our faith if we are only consuming the tangible (bread). The scripture is telling us that we must also “feed” off of the Word. In the Catholic Church when we celebrate Mass we participate in the Liturgy of the Word (reading the scripture) and Liturgy of the Eucharist (celebrating the body and blood of Jesus). When we listen to the Word or read the Word, we are encountering the living God and should show the Scripture as much reverence as we do when we come to communion to receive the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist. There are several ways to get connected to the scripture on a daily basis, either in a daily prayer book, signing up to have verse sent to you via email or with a phone app which gives you daily readings or a verse of the day. If you already do one or more of these great; if not, I challenge you do get connected. Then don’t just read the verse of the day but pray it, meditate on it, allow it to marinate your soul. Then you will know what it means to be filled AND satisfied!