Guest Post by: David Tonaszuck
Reflection on the Gospel of Luke 9:11b-17
My dear brothers and sisters,
Today the voice of God reaches out to us with gentleness and urgency: “My son, my daughter, I love you so very much and am always with you. Come and be with me and together our hearts shall be one; one with the Father and the Holy Spirit.” These words are not faint echoes from a bygone past; they are spoken anew to us this morning, right here, right now. The God who created us, who called us into being, wants nothing more than to draw us into the unity of His love; a unity that isn’t abstract or far away, but living and real, made present in the Holy Trinity.
We are invited into this divine community, not as spectators, but as partakers: believers who are blessed, nourished, and transformed by the Body of Christ. In John’s Gospel, Jesus says, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever.” With these words, He speaks right to our deepest hunger—a hunger for meaning, for belonging, for love that lasts.
The Living Bread: God’s Self-Gift of Love
What is this living bread? It is nothing less than the self-gift of God. The living bread is the love of our Father, poured out in the life, teachings, miracles, and above all, sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Each page of the Gospel is God’s heart opened to us. In Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection; the Paschal Mystery, we see the price God was willing to pay to bring us home. Through this mystery, we are offered the forgiveness of our sins and reconciliation with God. We are no longer strangers, but children brought back to the heart of the Father.
But God’s self-gift does not stop at the cross or the empty tomb. The living bread continues to nourish us through the Holy Spirit, who breathes new life into our hearts. The Spirit empowers us with grace, gives us gifts for service, and fills us with peace, hope, and the promise of eternal life. The living bread is not only something we receive, but something that transforms us from the inside out; shaping our relationship with God and with one another.
Christ in the Eucharist: Present, Transforming, Sending
And then, in an act of love almost too much to comprehend, Jesus chooses to remain with us in the Eucharist. He is present in every Mass; not just in spirit, but in body and blood, soul and divinity. The bread and wine become for us the living bread come down from heaven. When we kneel before the altar, or quietly adore Him in the tabernacle, we are not alone. We are face-to-face with the One who loves us beyond words. And every time we go to confession, it is the living Jesus who forgives, heals, and restores us.
Yet, the living bread doesn’t stay locked away in the church. It goes with us. It surrounds us in the faces of those we love, the stranger we meet, the person who needs a kind word or a helping hand. If we look with eyes of faith, we see the light of Christ shining out from the hearts of those around us. The living bread is shared whenever we love as Jesus loves; when we forgive, when we serve, when we say yes to God’s will.
Becoming What We Receive
This is the heart of the new covenant: “Whoever eats this bread will live forever.” This is not just a promise for the future, but a way of life for today. Through the Eucharist, we are drawn into the unity of the Holy Trinity, and into community with one another. We become the Body of Christ: His hands, His feet, His heart in the world.
Think of the miracle in Luke’s Gospel, when the disciples were overwhelmed by the needs of the crowd and thought there wasn’t enough bread. Jesus took what they had, blessed it, broke it, and gave it; and all ate and were satisfied. God’s love is like that: immeasurable, abundant, always enough. When we trust Him, when we give what little we have: our love, our time, our simple yes; He multiplies it and satisfies every hunger.
Sent Forth in Love and Gratitude
So, my dear children in Christ, let us live the bread of life. Let us allow ourselves to be loved by God, to be transformed by His presence, and to carry that love into the world. Ask the Holy Spirit each day to help you become what you receive in the Eucharist; a living sign of Jesus, a bearer of His love and mercy.
And always remember: “My son, my daughter, I love you and am always with you.” Go out with love. Give praise, thanksgiving, and glory to our Father in heaven, and love those around you as He loves you.
Amen.
Learn More about the Bread of Life
About Our Guest Blogger
Blessed Carlo Acutis once said, “Not me, but God.” His words echo deeply in my own spiritual life. This blog is not about me, but about the work of the Holy Spirit. I choose to remain anonymous because the voice behind these reflections isn’t what matters — the One speaking through them is.
I am a lifelong Catholic with a deep love for Scripture, the sacraments, and the quiet ways God speaks through everyday life. Live the Eucharist was born from my desire to share how the Gospel and the Eucharist shape not just my Sundays, but every step of the journey.
My hope is that these reflections bless you, challenge you, and draw you closer to Jesus — truly present in the Eucharist and profoundly present in your daily life.
