Ask Whatever You Wish!

 

The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.


I remember years ago when I had just come back into the faith and had started reading the Bible I came across what are one of my all time favorite verses in the Bible. They are John 15:7-8, where Jesus said, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”


I simply loved the premise contained in that promise — God saying he would do whatever I asked for; how amazing is that — and I always wondered how I could appropriate it. Half of the answer is to be found in today’s reading, where Jesus says, “If you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you remain in me and I in you.” That’s the first half of the equation: “if you remain in me.” So whenever we partake in the Eucharist — you know, communion — we do exactly that, so how does it work?


By understanding that the Eucharist is really the body and blood of Jesus. Paul says, “Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.” What do I realize when I examine myself? That I am a human being with a natural inclination to the things of the world. The consecrated host is Jesus who is divine and of heaven. 


Now when I consume Jesus, I am partaking of the divine. Jesus, who is holy and whole, comes into me. This unites us, as a branch unites to the vine. And the more I consume him, the stronger this union becomes. And when his words start to become part of my life too, then in a very real way I become like Jesus. And when I become like Jesus, all I want is what Jesus wants.


And what does Jesus want? When he walked upon this earth, all he ever wanted to do was the will of the Father. That becomes what we want too, so anything we ask God for is aimed at attaining that objective. And God is only too happy to answer any prayer we make because it falls in like with his will. So, remain in Jesus through his body and blood, and let his word remain in you. And then ask for whatever you wish and it will be given you!


Simple enough, ya?

 


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