A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John.

Jesus said:  “I am the bread of life.  Your ancestors ate manna in the desert, but they died.  This is the bread that comes down from heaven, and if you eat it you will never die. I myself am the living bread come down from Heaven.  If anyone eats this bread, they will live forever; the bread I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.”

The Temple authorities began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this one give us his flesh to eat?”  Jesus replied, “I tell you solemnly, if you do not eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Chosen One, you will not have life in you.  Everyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day.

For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.  Everyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in them.  Just as Abba God has life in me and I have life because of Abba God, so those who feed on me will have life because of me.  This is the bread that came down from Heaven.  It is not the kind of bread your mortal ancestors ate; whoever eats this kind of bread will be immortal.”

The Good News as spoken through John.