First reading: Prv. 9:1–6

Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven columns; she has dressed her meat, mixed her wine, yes, she has spread her table. She has sent out her maidens; she calls from the heights out over the city: “Let whoever is simple turn in here; To the one who lacks understanding, she says, Come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.”

Second reading: Eph. 5:15–20

Brothers and sisters: Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord. And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.

Gospel: Jn. 6:51–58

Jesus said to the crowds: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

In other words

by Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD (Divine Word Seminary, Tagaytay City)

In one community I was invited to preside over the Mass and, after the dismissal, I noticed that the people flocked to the front. A server handed me two green containers which I thought were alcohol to disinfect my hands. Then a lay minister whispered to my ear to go and sprinkle the community with the holy water from the green containers. Otherwise, people would not go home.

This is an unfortunate development or “creativity” introduced, I heard, in many churches already. Why unfortunate? Because it waters down the greatest blessing that we receive in the Mass—the holy communion. Looking at the mass goers, who won’t leave the church until after the sprinkling of water, I cannot but feel that they give more importance to the holy water than what they have received in the Mass.

This also happens when sermons of popular priests are posted on social media, minus the Consecration at Mass; as if the center of the celebration is the homily.

Moreover, it also happens that after attending the Mass, some mass goers remain and pray so many devotions plus the rosary. Though unaware, it gives the impression that the Mass is not yet enough, it has to be completed still by other prayers.

Here is what Vat. II says about the Mass: “Liturgy is a sacred action surpassing all others. It is the summit… and fount from which all the Church power flows.” After a Mass with retired sisters, I passed by one sister on a wheelchair, still holding the consecrated host in her hand. I gently asked what she was doing. She replied that she was talking to the host.

To which I whispered in her ear, “Sister, Jesus said ‘take and eat,’ not ‘take and talk’. So go and eat it na (already), then talk to him.”