The Gospel reading from St John is following the ‘Bread of Life’ discourse, and concludes with these words: ‘I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh’.

Here is part of a Eucharistic hymn, by Johann Franck and translated from the German by Catherine Winkworth: ‘Sun, who all my life dost brighten; Light, who dost my soul enlighten; Joy, the sweetest man e’er knoweth; Fount, whence all my being floweth. At thy feet I cry, my Maker, let me be a fit partaker / of this blessed food from heaven, for our good, thy glory given. Jesus, Bread of Life, I pray thee, let me gladly here obey thee; never to my hurt invited; be thy love with love requited. From this banquet let me measure, Lord, how vast and deep its treasure, through the gifts thou here dost give me, as thy guest in heaven receive me’.

May our devotion to the Eucharist be ever deeper, for this mystery is inexhaustible and cannot be fully comprehended this side of eternity. May God bless you and feed you with Himself, the Bread of Life, this day.