17.8.2003 Sunday 20th
Ordinary Season
First Reading: Proverbs 9, 1-6
Psalm 33
Second Reading: Ephesians 5, 15-20
Gospel: John 6, 51-58
"He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood": this phrase is repeated
several times in the gospel reading. Eat and drink, eat and drink the flesh
and the blood of Jesus, is a central gesture in the life of his disciple. From
the hands of his Lord the disple takes the bread of blessing, bread which is
not any bread, but "the living bread which came down from heaven",
"my flesh for the life of the world".
We know that Jesus is thinking of the bread that he gave the disciples during
the last Easter supper. It is the bread through which they participate in his
offering, through which they communicate with his life while he sacrifices himself
to reunite the children who were lost because of sin. This bread, "my flesh
and my blood" allows us to participate in the love of God, it allows us
to lead the true, full life of man. Eating and drinking do not only refer to
the physical act of taking the eucharistic signs, but also express the desire
and the will to participate in the life of Jesus, in his obedience to the Father,
in giving himself to men and women, in his holiness.
The Jews discussed: "how can this man give his flesh to eat?" They
did not understand the deep and full meaning of the words of the Lord. They
were not thinking of the bread that he blessed in memory of his body "given
for you ". Christians, on the other hand, do not ask "how can…",
but thank and praise Jesus because he did it. We take the bread of the blessing
with the desire to be innerly transformed and with the will to give ourselves
to him. In this we have not only the certainty of our eternal salvation, but
also the fullness of life and of peace while we are still on this earth, And
we fill this earth with the wisdom that comes from the love that has transformed
us!
The first read is about wisdom, a Wisdom that works as God Himself. The book
of Proverbs brings us Wisdom as a person who works and talks. She prepares a
feast and then sends her maids to invite the people to take their fill and to
drink, but on the condition that they abandon their foolish thoughts for intelligent
thoughts. It is not difficult to understand. Jesus prepares seven pillars for
his house, pillars that support his Church: we can think of the seven Sacraments,
or the completeness of the gifts of his love for all men and women can be welcomed
to live in communion, in the fullness of joy, shown in the image of the table
set for the feast.
"Abandon foolish thoughts" says Wisdom. To participate in the Lord's
Supper, to eat of the fruit of his Body, "look carefully than how you walk,
not as unwise men, but as wise", recommends St Paul. Our lives should express
the thoughts of the Father, the love of Jesus, the grace of the Holy Spirit.
Our thoughts should not, therefore, be for bodily pleasures - and St Paul gives
us the example of wine, which was then perhaps the greatest of temptations -
but turned to the praise of God! "be filled with the Spirit, addressing
one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody
to the Lord with all your hearts!"
Whoever has not tried, does not know how much joy and deep communion one can
experience in singing the praises of God! If then, those praises are not only
sung by mouth, but are also what we truly desire to do, then joy and fullness
overflow!
Thank you, Lord Jesus: you are the bread that fills my soul and my body with
peace and joy! Your Wisdom opens my mouth to sing and praise the Father! Your
presence draws me: I wish to nourish myself from you. I do not want a week to
pass without this nourishment! What could I say or communicate to my brothers
and sisters if in my heart there was only desire for pleasure and You were not
there? When You are in me, my life is precious for everyone, a source of wisdom,
a gift of the grace of God!