Though many, we are one bread, one body, for we all partake of the one Bread and one Chalice. (1 Corinthians 10:17)
- Communion Antiphon for October 1 and 2
In Scripture, so many times and in many ways, we hear Jesus say that He is the Bread of Life. It is the one thing that separates Catholics from other Christians, believing that the Eucharist is the true body and blood of Christ! We know that our salvation comes through His sacrifice on the cross. We sing many hymns about the body and blood of Christ but today our Communion Hymn, “One Love Released” has several messages. As we sing, let’s really listen to the messages in the verses.
Verse 1. This is a rhetorical question as to whether the bread and wine we share are the body and blood of Jesus.
Verse 2. Jesus says not only, yes, he is the bread of life but tells us that by eating His body he gives us strength for our journey.
Verse 3. Jesus gives us His body and blood so that we will have eternal life.
Verse 4. No one can come to Jesus and receive eternal life if the Father has not called him.
Partaking of Holy Communion unites us into one call, one faith, one spirit in Christ. Our prayer is a hope for peace. But what does “one love released” mean? Jesus released his life for our eternal salvation on the cross. Now we are called to release our faith in Him to others in the form of discipleship. Every celebration of the Eucharist urges us to respond to Jesus’ invitation to follow Him and spread the Word that He is the bread of life. Let us be like the apostles today and ask the Lord to “Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5-10) so that we will have the strength to be true disciples and be able to release the love that Christ has given us to others.