1. In what ways does Melchizedek prefigure Jesus?

2. Discuss the properties of bread and wine and their benefits to the body when consumed. Why do you think Melchizedek chose them for offerings? Do you know why Jesus chose them?

Second Reading
1 Corinthians 11:23-26

1. What do we believe Jesus meant when he said, “do this in remembrance of me”? To what does “this” refer? Could it mean more than one thing? Is it “remember me when you do this”? Or, in remembrance of me, do also what I did for others?

2. Explain “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.” Is the gift of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection a one-time thing that happened in the past, or is the gift on-going and always newly present?

Gospel
Luke 9:11b-17

1. The crowd had been listening all day, in a deserted area, away from villages. How are the 5,000 like the Church today? Are we starving for divine inspiration on questions, spellbound by Jesus’ words like ecojustice, incarceration, immigration, bias, gun control?

2. Pope Francis said that Jesus “calls us to be citizens of Heaven, but at the same time he takes into account the journey we have to face here on earth ...” How does the Eucharist help us on our earthly journey?

The miracle of the loaves and fish does not happen in a spectacular way, but almost discreetly. … The bread increases as it passes from hand to hand. And as the crowd eats, they realize that Jesus is taking care of everything. …

In addition to eating, however, we cannot forget being satisfied. The crowd is satisfied because of the abundance of food and also because of the joy and amazement of having received it from Jesus! We certainly need to nourish ourselves, but we also need to be satisfied, to know that the nourishment is given to us out of love. In the Body and Blood of Christ, we find his presence, his life given for each of us. He not only gives us help to go forward, but he gives us himself—he makes himself our travelling companion; he enters into our affairs, he visits us when we are lonely, giving us back a sense of enthusiasm. This satisfies us, when the Lord gives meaning to our life, to our darkness, our doubts.

Pope Francis Homily for Most Holy Body and Blood
June 23, 2019