Thursday, 23 April 2026 : 3rd Week of Easter, Memorial of St. George, Martyr, and St. Adalbert, Bishop and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, all of us are reminded and called to be the bearers of God’s truth, His Good News and revelations to the nations, just as the Apostles and their successors, our many holy predecessors had done before us. We are called to be the evangelising and missionary disciples of the Lord, proclaiming His Good News and truth through our lives, and by our understanding, appreciation, knowledge and immersion in the Law, commandments and truths that the Lord Himself has revealed and taught to us through His Church. As Christians, we are all expected to be good role models and sources of inspiration for one another in faith, so that in our every actions and works, our words and interactions, even to the least significant among these, we truly proclaim our Christian faith to others.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the account of the encounter between St. Philip the Apostle and an Ethiopian official who was returning back to his country from visiting Jerusalem, and St. Philip was sent by the Angel of God to evangelise to the Ethiopian official, ending up in a conversation and discussion between them regarding the passage of the Scriptures that the official had been reading, the curious and peculiar passage from the prophet Isaiah which was in fact referring about the Lord Jesus, His suffering, death and then later on Resurrection. The official must have been perturbed by what he had been reading, and as what others might have experienced as they read that passage from the prophet Isaiah regarding the Suffering Servant or the Suffering Messiah, they might have not understood the significance of that passage.

In truth, as we all ought to know, that passage was referring directly to what the Lord Jesus Himself, as the Messiah or Saviour of all, would have to suffer and endure in the process of fulfilling everything that the Lord our God had intended and planned for us, the plan of our salvation. St. Philip therefore revealed the truth and the Good News to the Ethiopian official, telling him about the Risen Lord and all that He had done and experienced, and how everything that were told by the prophets and the other messengers of the Lord had been fulfilled through Him, how He suffered and endured His Passion for the sake of all mankind, just as the prophet Isaiah had prophesied about that. Yet, St. Philip further revealed that this Suffering Messiah has triumphed and been victorious in the struggle against sin and evil, that by His Resurrection, He broke forever the chains and dominion that sin and death have over us.

That was how then St. Philip convinced the Ethiopian official to become a Christian believer, and the official agreed to be baptised at the water source present nearby, and the moment that he was baptised, St. Philip was taken away by the Angel of God elsewhere, while the Ethiopian official, in his newly baptised joy, returned back to his homeland with great joy and celebration, and was likely the one to begin spreading the Christian faith there. St. Philip on the other hand continued to minister to the people of God and proclaimed the faith and truth of God to more and more of the people, in the various places and communities he visited, causing the Church and the Christian community to grow ever more quickly, despite the many persecutions, challenges, trials and oppositions that Christianity was facing from its many enemies and detractors. The disciples and followers of the Lord dedicated their time and effort to proclaim His Good News to more and more people.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the continuation of the Bread of Life discourse by the Lord Jesus Himself, which we have heard for the past few days, in which the Lord spoke of Himself as the Living Bread or the Bread of Life Who has come down from Heaven. Through Him, all of us who have received and shared in our partaking of the Eucharist, we have received God Himself in the flesh, in His Most Precious Body and Most Precious Blood, and consequently, all of us who have received Him, have already received the Lord Himself dwelling in our amidst, among us and within us. We have become the Temples of His Holy Presence, and He has extended to us the most perfect form of unity and the most tangible link between us and His heavenly Father, our most loving God and Creator. For He is the perfect manifestation of God and His love in the flesh, such that man is no longer separated from God by our sins.

Linking to our first reading passage today, in which we heard of the baptism of the Ethiopian official, through that act of baptism and acceptance by the Ethiopian official of the truth that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Who has died on the Cross and Risen fromt the dead, is his Lord and Saviour, that Ethiopian official had become part of the Church, just like all of us. Through our own baptism, whether we were baptised as infants or as teenagers or as adults, or even those of us who got baptised in the old age, or at the doors of death, all of us have become partakers and sharers in the New and Eternal Covenant that the Lord Himself has sealed with us and for us. Through baptism we have been made parts and sharers of the Lord’s missions and works in His Church, and all of us are members of His Body, the one united Communion of all the faithful.

Today, the Church also celebrates the feast of two great and holy servants of God, whose lives, examples and actions can indeed serve as inspiration and examples for all of us. St. George was a Roman military officer that went through martyrdom for the sake of his faith, renowned for his courage and commitment to the Lord, while St. Adalbert was a bishop and martyr who was known for his commitment to his faith and to the missionary works in the region now known as Czech Republic and the surrounding regions. Both of them dedicated themselves to follow the Lord in all things and to do His will, enduring difficulties and challenges, suffering and eventually martyrdom, giving up even their own lives for the glory of God in the midst of their obedience to God’s call and mission.

St. George, also known as St. George of Lydda, was renowned in Church tradition as a Roman soldier, but little was known beyond the fact that he lived and endured his martyrdom during the time of the Diocletianic persecution, the last great wave of persecutions against Christians in the Roman Empire about three centuries after the birth of Christ. According to tradition, he was arrested and tortured for his Christian faith, just like many others who were martyred during the same intense persecution. He was martyred by decapitation, but his legacy remained and endured for long, to this day, as a great symbol of courage and chivalry, and for his legendary slaying of a dragon. Many people and military institutions have St. George as their patron.

Meanwhile, St. Adalbert, also known as St. Adalbert of Prague was born in the region of Prague in today’s Czech Republic during the time when the lands then known as Bohemia had not long embraced the Christian faith. St. Adalbert eventually joined the priesthood and then became the Bishop of Prague at a rather young age succeeding his predecessor who died, and he became a courageous bishop and leader of his flock, against the often difficult political and social condition at the time, where rival families and groups bickered and struggled for power and glory, which St. Adalbert endured and struggled through. Then, later on, St. Adalbert chose to go forth in missionary work to the then still pagan land of Prussia, where he had some success, but facing great opposition from many of the pagans, he was eventually martyred by a pagan mob in the land of his mission.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore reflect on our calling as the bearers of the Good News and truth of God, as those who truly believe in the truth of Our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ, the Living Bread Who came down from Heaven. Let us all be genuine Christians in being joyful and dedicated in our willingness to proclaim the Lord and His truth in the midst of our various communities and places, inspired by the good examples of our predecessors like St. George and St. Adalbert, doing whatever we can so that we may indeed bear forth the light of God’s truth to more and more people. All of us as parts of God’s Church have the same responsibilities and duties in being good role models and inspirations in faith that our every words, actions and deeds, our every interactions and works may become the inspiration and help for many others, such that many more will come to believe in God through us and our good works.

May the Risen Lord, our God and Saviour Jesus Christ continue to be with us and guide us always, and may He continue to empower and strengthen us so that we may persevere faithfully and continue to commit ourselves to His path, much as how our early Christian predecessors had done, in their missionary and evangelising zeal. May God be with His Church always, and bless its every works and good efforts. Amen.

Thursday, 23 April 2026 : 3rd Week of Easter, Memorial of St. George, Martyr, and St. Adalbert, Bishop and Martyr (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

John 6 : 44-51

At that time, Jesus said to the Jews, “No one can come to Me unless he is drawn by the Father Who sent Me; and I will raise Him up on the last day. It has been written in the Prophets : They shall all be taught by God. So whoever listens and learns from the Father comes to Me.”

“For no one has seen the Father except the One Who comes from God; He has seen the Father. Truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the Bread of Life. Though your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, they died. But here you have the Bread which comes from heaven, so that you may eat of it, and not die.”

“I am the Living Bread which as come from heaven; whoever eats of this Bread will live forever. The Bread I shall give is My flesh, and I will give it for the life of the world.”

Thursday, 23 April 2026 : 3rd Week of Easter, Memorial of St. George, Martyr, and St. Adalbert, Bishop and Martyr (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

Psalm 65 : 8-9, 16-17, 20

Praise our God, o nations, let the sound of His praise be heard, for He has preserved us among the living and kept our feet from stumbling.

All you who fear God, come and listen; let me tell you what He has done. I cried aloud to Him, extolling Him with my tongue.

May God be blessed! He has not rejected my prayer; nor withheld His love from me.

Thursday, 23 April 2026 : 3rd Week of Easter, Memorial of St. George, Martyr, and St. Adalbert, Bishop and Martyr (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

Acts 8 : 26-40

An Angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south towards the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert road.” So he set out and it happened that an Ethiopian was passing along that way. He was an official in charge of the treasury of the queen of the Ethiopians; he had come on pilgrimage to Jerusalem and was on his way home. He was sitting in his carriage and reading the prophet Isaiah.

The Spirit said to Philip, “Go and catch up with that carriage.” So Philip ran up and heard the man reading the prophet Isaiah; and he asked, “Do you really understand what you are reading?” The Ethiopian replied, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” He then invited Philip to get in and sit beside him.

This was the passage of Scripture he was reading : He was led like a sheep to be slaughtered; like a lamb that is dumb before the shearer, He did not open His mouth. He was humbled and deprived of His rights. Who can speak of His descendants? For He was uprooted from the earth.

The official asked Philip, “Tell me, please, does the prophet speak of himself or of Someone else?” Then Philip began to tell him the Good News of Jesus, using this text of Scripture as his starting point. As they travelled down the road they came to a place where there was some water. Then the Ethiopian official said, “Look, here is water; what is to keep me from being baptised?”

And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Then he ordered the carriage to stop; both Philip and the Ethiopian went down into the water and Philip baptised him. When they came out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away. The Ethiopian saw him no more, but he continued on his way full of joy.

Philip found himself at Azotus, and he went about announcing the Good News in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Tuesday, 23 April 2024 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. George, Martyr, and St. Adalbert, Bishop and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the need for each one of us to continue to proclaim the truth of God in the midst of our community, to be truly committed and faithful to the calling and mission which the Lord had entrusted to each one of us as the ones whom He had called and chosen to be His disciples, followers and as His beloved people, whom He sent out into the world to proclaim His salvation to even more people out there who have not yet known about His works and salvation. Through our works and efforts, all the things done by the Church, we may lead many more towards the Lord and His truth.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Acts of the Apostles of the continued growth of the early Church which kept on spreading and growing rapidly despite the challenges, trials and difficulties that the early Christian community was facing from the Jewish authorities, the members of the Sanhedrin or the Jewish High Council and all other opposition and obstacles that they had to face, including the opposition and refusal from some among the non-Jewish communities, the Gentiles to accommodate the teachings of the Lord Jesus and to listen to His truth and all the words that the Apostles and the many other disciples and missionaries of the Lord had brought upon them. This resulted in plenty of persecutions and hardships for the faithful people of God, and yet, it did not dampen the spirit of all those who were committed to proclaim the truth of God to more and more people among the nations.

As we heard in that same passage, we heard how the Apostles sent St. Barnabas, who was also considered as one of the Apostles, while not being member of the Twelve, to the city and region of Antioch, which was then one of the largest cities in the entire Roman Empire and the world, and was the largest city in the immediate region of Syria. Antioch at that time was a truly cosmopolitan city where its people had diverse origins and came from all the various parts of the Roman Empire and beyond. It was significant therefore that the community of the believers in Antioch was where they were first known as Christians, referring obviously to the belief that they all had in the person of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour.

This was a clear evidence that the Church was being universal and all-embracing in its nature, as it welcomed believers and followers of the Lord from all origins and backgrounds, and not being limited merely to just the people of Israel and their descendants. The Lord had called everyone to be His disciples and followers, and through the power and guidance, the wisdom and strength of the Holy Spirit, many people became convinced of the Lord’s truth and Good News, and therefore, embraced the Christian faith and dedicated themselves to be parts of the Church of God. We also heard how St. Barnabas went to nearby Tarsus and recruited Saul who had just been recently converted into the Christian faith, the future St. Paul the Apostle. It was through those works and actions that the Church greatly grew and flourished at that time.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the Lord Jesus speaking to His disciples and followers, and the Jewish people, representing likely those who adhered to the Pharisees and the teachings of the teachers of the Law and the elders, They all pressured the Lord to tell them plainly whether He was the Messiah or not, although from all that the Lord Himself had said and done in their midst, it would have been really obvious that He must have indeed been the One Whom the Lord had promised, the Saviour that would come into the world. However, it was their stubborn refusal to listen to the words of the Lord and their prejudices which likely prevented them from accepting the fact that everything which they had heard, seen and witnessed, all had proven that the Lord Jesus is indeed the Saviour of all the whole world, and the Son of God as He had said.

The Lord first sent His Son to the people of Israel and their descendants, His first chosen people, to fulfil the promises He made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob or Israel, calling on all of them to be His followers and His disciples. However, He ended up encountering a lot of difficulties, challenges and refusals from many of those people who hardened their hearts and minds, refusing to listen to God’s call and words. This problem continued on even after the Lord had suffered, died, risen from the dead and ascended into Heaven. While there were indeed quite a few successes in the process of conversion of some among the Jewish people to embrace the Christian faith and truth, but there were also many of those who opposed the efforts of the Lord and His disciples, oppressed them and persecuted them all. Yet, the Lord continued to guide and strengthen His disciples throughout the whole journey.

We are all reminded that each and every one of us as Christians are called to go forth and proclaim the truth of God to the people from all the nations, through our actions and way of life, from our words and all the things we do, in our every interactions with each other. We must always help others to come to know the Lord and to recognise Him through our own actions in life. It is through our own faith and actions that we can truly help everyone to come closer to the Lord and to find out more about Him, so that many more people may come to approach God’s Throne of Mercy, and embrace the fullness of His compassionate love. Each and every one of us are reminded that we have to be active in being part of the Church’s effort and outreach to the world.

Today, the Church also celebrates the feast of two great and holy servants of God, whose lives, examples and actions can indeed serve as inspiration and examples for all of us. St. George was a Roman military officer that went through martyrdom for the sake of his faith, renowned for his courage and commitment to the Lord, while St. Adalbert was a bishop and martyr who was known for his commitment to his faith and to the missionary works in the region now known as Czech Republic and the surrounding regions. Both of them dedicated themselves to follow the Lord in all things and to do His will, enduring difficulties and challenges, suffering and eventually martyrdom, giving up even their own lives for the glory of God in the midst of their obedience to God’s call and mission.

St. George, also known as St. George of Lydda, was renowned in Church tradition as a Roman soldier, but little was known beyond the fact that he lived and endured his martyrdom during the time of the Diocletianic persecution, the last great wave of persecutions against Christians in the Roman Empire about three centuries after the birth of Christ. According to tradition, he was arrested and tortured for his Christian faith, just like many others who were martyred during the same intense persecution. He was martyred by decapitation, but his legacy remained and endured for long, to this day, as a great symbol of courage and chivalry, and for his legendary slaying of a dragon. Many people and military institutions have St. George as their patron.

Meanwhile, St. Adalbert, also known as St. Adalbert of Prague was born in the region of Prague in today’s Czech Republic during the time when the lands then known as Bohemia had not long embraced the Christian faith. St. Adalbert eventually joined the priesthood and then became the Bishop of Prague at a rather young age succeeding his predecessor who died, and he became a courageous bishop and leader of his flock, against the often difficult political and social condition at the time, where rival families and groups bickered and struggled for power and glory, which St. Adalbert endured and struggled through. Then, later on, St. Adalbert chose to go forth in missionary work to the then still pagan land of Prussia, where he had some success, but facing great opposition from many of the pagans, he was eventually martyred by a pagan mob in the land of his mission.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all be inspired by the good examples and inspirations which St. George and St. Adalbert, and many others of our holy and dedicated predecessors had shown us. Let us all continue to follow the Lord faithfully as they had done and realise the important missions and calling which the Lord had entrusted to us. May our lives continue to glorify God at all times, and may we be ever courageous to proclaim Him to the whole world. Amen.

Tuesday, 23 April 2024 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. George, Martyr, and St. Adalbert, Bishop and Martyr (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

John 10 : 22-30

At that time, the time came for the Feast of the Dedication. It was winter, and Jesus walked back and forth in the portico of Solomon. The Jews then gathered around Him and said to Him, “How long will You keep us in doubt? If You are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered, “I have already told you, but you do not believe. The works I do in My Father’s Name proclaim Who I am, but you do not believe because, as I said, you are not My sheep. My sheep hear My voice and I know them; they follow Me and I give them eternal life.”

“They shall never perish, and no one will ever steal them from Me. What the Father has given Me is above everything else, and no one can snatch it from out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are One.”

Tuesday, 23 April 2024 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. George, Martyr, and St. Adalbert, Bishop and Martyr (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

Psalm 86 : 1-3, 4-5, 6-7

He Himself has built it in His holy mountain; the Lord prefers the gates of Zion to all of Jacob’s towns. Great things have been foretold of you, o city of God.

Between friends we speak of Egypt and Babylon; and also Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia : “Here so-and-so was born.” But of Zion it shall be said, “More and more are being born in her.” For the Most High Himself has founded her.

And the Lord notes in the people’s register : “All these were also born in Zion.” And all will dance and sing joyfully for You.

Tuesday, 23 April 2024 : 4th Week of Easter, Memorial of St. George, Martyr, and St. Adalbert, Bishop and Martyr (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

Acts 11 : 19-26

Those who had been scattered because of the persecution over Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message, but only to the Jews. But there were some natives of Cyprus and Cyrene among them who, on coming into Antioch, spoke also to the Greeks, giving them the Good News of the Lord Jesus. The hand of the Lord was with them so that a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

News of this reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, so they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the manifest signs of God’s favour, he rejoiced and urged them all to remain firmly faithful to the Lord; for he himself was a good man filled with Holy Spirit and faith. Thus large crowds came to know the Lord.

Then Barnabas went off to Tarsus to look for Saul and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they had meetings with the Church and instructed many people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.

Friday, 23 April 2021 : 3rd Week of Easter, Memorial of St. George, Martyr and St. Adalbert, Bishop and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we all listen to the words of the Lord speaking to us about the conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, as he was called by God on the way to Damascus, when as Saul he wanted to bring destruction and death to all the Christians living there with the express permission and authority from the High Priests and the Sanhedrin. Saul was struck by a great light and saw the Lord in a vision, and it was there that he received the truth from God, of the mistakes he had done in pursuing his path.

Saul was touched by God and through His disciple, Ananias, Saul received baptism, the wisdom and truth of God through the Holy Spirit, by which his eyes were opened to the truth and he received the courage to preach the truth, the truth that he had been denying and tried to snuff out by striking against the followers of the Lord. And he spoke therefore of the Lord, the same Crucified Messiah rejected by many among the Jews and by most of the Jewish authorities. He preached the Lord Jesus Christ, Risen from the dead, Who has given His own Body and Blood for us, for our salvation.

The Jewish people refused to accept that the Lord could have given them His own Body and Blood for them to eat and share among them, and many of them left after this occasion, unable to accept the hard truth from the Lord. They all refused to believe in the reality of the Body and Blood of Christ being shed and given to all. Even the disciples were shaken by what they heard at that time, and found it hard to believe too. But after the Lord had indeed shed His Blood and broken His Body on the Cross, for the salvation of all, the disciples finally understood what the Lord meant.

Thus, as they had witnessed all the important events surrounding the moments of the Lord’s Passion, suffering and death, and His glorious Resurrection, the disciples of the Lord went forth strengthened and encouraged by the Holy Spirit to speak about the truth and the salvation of God, through Whom all has received the assurance of new life by partaking in the same Precious Body and Blood, given through the Church in the Holy Eucharist.

It is this same mission then that St. Paul was also called into, as he shed his old life and existence as an ardent enemy of the faithful, leaving behind his old name of Saul and taking up the new name of Paul to indicate his conversion and change. While once he had enjoyed the favour of the Jewish population and the authorities, he willingly left all that behind for the Lord and His truth, labouring hard for many years in various places, having to encounter many challenges and persecutions, almost being killed in some of those occasions.

Yet, it was due to their great courage and dedication that the Church grew and flourished even under the most difficult of circumstances. These disciples of the Lord and their successors and all those whom had been called to be His servants are inspirations to us. And we remember in particular two of them, whose feasts we are celebrating today. St. George, who was a soldier and a renowned martyr remembered all around the world for his exploits and dedication, as well as St. Adalbert, a courageous bishop and missionary who also suffered martyrdom for his actions.

St. George was a member of the Roman military, and a high ranking one at that, as he was a member of the Praetorian Guards, the personal protectors of the Roman Emperors. At that time, the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who was infamous for his harsh and particularly brutal oppression of Christians, was the ruling Emperor, and he decreed that all the Christians throughout the Empire has to abandon their God and offer obedience and worship to the pagan gods and to the Roman Emperor, or else suffer terrible consequences.

And in particular, Emperor Diocletian enforced this on the members of the military and also his Praetorian Guards, of which St. George belonged to. The faithful follower of God refused to do as commanded by the Emperor, and when confronted over his Christian faith and dedication, he chose to suffer and die rather than to abandon his Christian faith or to apostasise and scandalise the faith by offering sacrifices to the Roman gods and to the Emperor. As such, he was executed by decapitation, died a martyr, and yet, his courage in faith inspired countless others throughout time.

Meanwhile, St. Adalbert, also known as St. Adalbert of Prague was the Bishop of Prague and was remembered for his ministry and evangelisation to the pagans, particularly to the Hungarians and to the Prussians, both of whom were still mostly pagan back then. He was also an ardent missionary and dedicated bishop to the Bohemians in Prague and the rest of his diocese that back then was only partly Christianised. St. Adalbert had to face difficulties and challenges from the secular rulers and once had to endure exile as he opposed the actions of the nobles and lords, standing up for the Christian faith in doing so.

Later on, he would go on to more missionary works in Hungary and in the lands of Prussia, in present day northern parts of Poland, where he managed to gain quite a bit of success in converting many to the true faith. Yet, he also encountered challenges from the pagans who refused to believe in him, and with the plotting of some of the pagan priests, St. Adalbert was murdered and died a martyr in the midst of his works of evangelisation. To the very end, he remained firm in his commitment and dedication to the Lord.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore follow in the examples of these faithful servants of God, all those who have responded to the Lord’s call and embraced Him wholeheartedly as their Lord and Saviour. Let us all ourselves also be inspired to follow in their footsteps and dedicate ourselves from now on to be faithful disciples of the Lord. Let us all do our best in our respective fields and capacity, to be true disciples of the Lord in all of our daily actions throughout life. May God be with us and may He strengthen us all that we may always serve Him, each day, with dedication and faith. Amen.

Friday, 23 April 2021 : 3rd Week of Easter, Memorial of St. George, Martyr and St. Adalbert, Bishop and Martyr (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White or Red (Martyrs)

John 6 : 52-59

At that time, the Jews were arguing among themselves, “How can this Man give us flesh to eat?” So Jesus replied, “Truly, I say to you, if you do not eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you have no life in you. The one who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood lives eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

“My Flesh is really food, and My Blood is truly drink. Those who eat My Flesh and drink My Blood, lives in Me, and I in them. Just as the Father, Who is life, sent Me, and I have life from the Father, so whoever eats Me will have life from Me. This is the Bread which came from heaven; not like that of your ancestors, who ate and later died. Those who eat this Bread will live forever.”

Jesus spoke in this way in Capernaum when He taught them in the synagogue.