A side effect of the eucharistic miracle in today's Gospel was that over four thousand people were satisfied after a meal (Mt 15:37). All too often in Scripture, a meal ends with breaking of faith (Gn 25:29-34), deception (Gn 27:25ff), dissatisfaction (Nm 21:5), and sometimes violence and death (Gn 37:25ff; Dn 5:1ff, 30).

Jesus' eucharistic meal with His apostles, the Last Supper, also ended in betrayal, denial, and death. However, in the Eucharist, Jesus has triumphed over human sins and failings. He has transformed human dissatisfaction into the satisfaction (Mt 15:37), thanksgiving (Mt 15:36), and joy of the heavenly banquet to come (Rv 19:9; Is 25:6).

The world and the devil work hard to sow dissatisfaction in us. In fact, worldly advertisements aim at identifying our dissatisfactions and even at creating dissatisfaction in the lives of those who are currently satisfied. Therefore, we must break away from the messages of the world to be able to fully receive the Bread from Heaven and be satisfied according to God's standards.

Numerous Catholics today do not receive the Eucharist with reverence, love, attentiveness, and holiness, thus putting themselves at risk of dissatisfaction and even bodily harm (1 Cor 11:27-30; Catechism, 1385). Jesus plans for His heavenly food to nourish rather than harm us, but it's up to us to receive Him rightly. Fix your eyes on the eucharistic Jesus (Heb 3:1). In the Eucharist, Jesus satisfies our every need (Ps 145:16; 81:16, RSV-CE). Eat the flesh of the Son of Man (Jn 6:56) and be satisfied (Mt 15:37).

Rescript:  †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, May 28, 2010

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