SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY # 297
Then Jesus said to them: "Amen, amen, I say unto you: except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me: and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me." (John 6:53-58)
THE NECESSITY OF COMMUNION [the fourth commandment of the Church. Our Lord makes the attainment of eternal life dependent on the receiving of His Body and Blood. "Except you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His Blood, you shall not have life in you." -- "He that eateth My Flesh etc., shall live forever." Since it is the duty of every man to try to save his soul, and Holy Communion is necessary, as of precept, it is the duty of every man to receive Holy Communion, as soon as he is capable of understanding this divine mystery, and as soon as his will is sufficiently formed and enlightened to decide whether or not he desires to partake of this heavenly Food. The Church, therefore, is fulfilling our Lord's command, and providing for the salvation of souls, when she commands all the faithful to receive Holy Communion.
[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)
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