Angelus of Pope Francis in the Vatican: With the Eucharist Jesus saves us and feeds us

Pope Francis affirmed that with the miracle of the Eucharist, Jesus “saves us, feeding our lives with his own,” in his reflection before praying the Angelus this Sunday, August 18.

Before thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, the Holy Father meditated on today’s Gospel, in which Jesus tells everyone that he is “the living bread come down from heaven”; before which there are two attitudes. : “astonishment and gratitude at the miracle of the Eucharist.”

After highlighting that “Jesus always surprises us,” Pope Francis indicated that “the bread from heaven is a gift that exceeds all expectations” and highlighted that “flesh and blood (…) are the humanity of the Savior, his own life.” offered as food for ours.”

The Pontiff then noted that “with our hearts we can say thank you, thank you. The heavenly bread, which comes from the Father, is the Son made flesh for us. This food is more than necessary because it satisfies the hunger for hope, the hunger for truth, the hunger for salvation that we all feel not in our stomachs, but in our hearts. The Eucharist is necessary for all of us.”

After specifying that the Eucharist “is not something magical,” the Holy Father stressed that “Jesus takes care of the greatest need: he saves us, feeding our lives with his own, and this forever. And thanks to Him we can live in communion with God and with each other.”

The Pope encouraged us to ask ourselves if “when I receive the Eucharist, which is the miracle of mercy, am I capable of marveling at the Body of the Lord, who died and rose again for us? Let us pray together to the Virgin Mary, so that she helps us receive the gift of heaven in the sign of bread.”

Four beatified martyrs and prayer for countries at war

After praying the Angelus, the Holy Father referred to the beatification, this Sunday in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, of the Xaverian missionaries Luigi Carrara, Giovanni Didoné and Vittorio Faccin, together with the priest Albert Joubert, murdered in the African country on November 28, 1964.

“His martyrdom has been the crowning of a life dedicated to the Lord and his brothers. May his example and intercession promote paths of reconciliation and peace for the good of the Congolese people. “Applause for the new blessed!” exclaimed Pope Francis.

The Holy Father once again raised his prayers to “open paths of peace in the Middle East – Palestine, Israel – as well as in the martyred Ukraine, in Myanmar and in every war zone, with the effort of dialogue and negotiation , refraining from violent actions and reactions.

Full text of the Angelus of Pope Francis for this Sunday, August 18, 2024

Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Sunday!

Today the Gospel tells us about Jesus, who states with simplicity: “I am the living bread, which came down from heaven” (Jn 6:51). Before the crowd, the Son of God identifies himself with the most common and everyday food: bread, ‘I am the bread’.

Among those listening, some begin to argue (cf. v. 52): How can Jesus give us his own flesh to eat? We too ask ourselves this question today, but with amazement and gratitude. Here are two attitudes to reflect on: amazement and gratitude at the miracle of the Eucharist.

First: be amazed, because Jesus’ words surprise us. Jesus always surprises us, always, even today in our own lives. Jesus always surprises us.

The bread from heaven is a gift that exceeds all expectations. Whoever does not understand Jesus’ style remains distrustful: it seems impossible, even inhuman, to eat a man’s flesh and drink his blood (cf. v. 54). Flesh and blood, on the other hand, are the humanity of the Savior, his own life offered as food for ours.

And this leads us to the second attitude: gratitude, because we recognize Jesus where he is present for us and with us. He becomes bread for us.

“He who eats my flesh remains in me and I in him” (cf. v. 56). The Christ, true man, knows well that we must eat to live. But he also knows that this is not enough. After having multiplied the earthly bread (cf. Jn 6:1-14), he prepares an even greater gift: He himself becomes true food and true drink (cf. v. 55).

Thank you, Lord Jesus! With our hearts we can say thank you, thank you. The heavenly bread, which comes from the Father, is the Son made flesh for us. This food is more than necessary because it satisfies the hunger for hope, the hunger for truth, the hunger for salvation that we all feel not in our stomachs, but in our hearts. The Eucharist is necessary for all of us.

Jesus takes care of the greatest need: he saves us, feeding our lives with his own, and this forever. And thanks to Him we can live in communion with God and with each other.

Living and true bread is not, therefore, something magical, it is not something that suddenly solves all problems, but it is the Body of Christ itself, which gives hope to the poor and overcomes the arrogance of those who boast in its detriment.

Let us ask ourselves then, brothers and sisters: do I hunger and thirst for salvation, not only for myself, but for all my brothers and sisters? When I receive the Eucharist, which is the miracle of mercy, am I able to marvel at the Body of the Lord, who died and rose again for us?

Let us pray together to the Virgin Mary, to help us receive the gift of heaven in the sign of bread.

Words from Pope Francis after the Angelus prayer

Dear brothers and sisters!

Today in Uvira, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Luigi Carrara, Giovanni Didoné and Vittorio Faccin, Italian Xaverian missionaries, have been beatified, together with Albert Joubert, a Congolese priest, murdered in the country on November 28, 1964.

His martyrdom has been the crowning of a life dedicated to the Lord and his brothers. May his example and intercession promote paths of reconciliation and peace for the good of the Congolese people. A round of applause for the new blessed!

And we continue to pray that paths of peace can be opened in the Middle East – Palestine, Israel – as well as in the martyred Ukraine, in Myanmar and in every war zone, with the effort of dialogue and negotiation, refraining from actions and reactions violent.

I greet all of you, dear faithful of Rome and pilgrims coming from Italy and various countries. I greet in particular those from the state of Sao Paulo in Brazil and also the sisters of Saint Elizabeth.

I send my greeting and my blessing to the women and young people gathered at the Marian Shrine of Piekary Śląskie in Poland, and I encourage them to joyfully witness to the Gospel in the family and in society. And I greet the boys of the Inmaculada.

I wish everyone a good Sunday. Please don’t forget to pray for me. Good lunch and goodbye!