Jesus, the Bread of Eternal Life

 

Aug.16^th, ’15 Sunday Homily :Fr.Francis Chirackal CMI

Prv  9:1-6; Eph 5:15-20; Jn 6-51-58

For Readings

http://www.usccb.org/nab/081615.shtml

Many times marketing and ads give good entertainment. A few years ago, I read an interesting news commercial which said, ‘surrender phone, get dinner discount. As per the news, Los Angeles’ Eva restaurant was offering 5% discount to customers if they agree to look at their fellow diners instead of their phone screens. The purpose was to create an environment for diners to connect and converse with other dinners’. It looked sensible in today’s apps and 4G+ world.  In the book of Proverbs we see two women with opposing characters, though symbolical, are marketing their food products in their restaurants. In today’s readings we see only the first part of it. For the second part, please refer to your Bible when you go home, very interesting. The effects of their food represented their character. Both of them, the wisdom and folly, had beautiful, attractive restaurants and foods. The wisdom leads to God and eternity, while food of foolishness leads to the nether world, the destruction.  We see when Jesus was born at Bethlehem three wise men came and offered Him homage. Wisdom recognizes Wisdom and leads to God. St.Paul, in the second reading also reminds us to live as wise men, knowing God’s will.

For last two weeks and for this week the Church gives for our reflection, the marketing which Jesus made, by offering His own ‘Body and Blood’ for our salvation. It shows the importance of the Holy Eucharist in our everyday lives, and for our life eternal. In today’s gospel, we see the Lord of eternal life, the Logos, the eternal Wisdom, the Word became flesh offering His own body and blood to us to make our lives ever living with God. Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For, my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. ..This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."

We have all heard the expression: “You are what you eat.” If we eat junk food our health will be bad. If we eat a lot of carbohydrates and a little protein we will have a flabby body instead of a muscular body. This applies also to Jesus’ words, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." Hearing this, many of the Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

This is the same mystery, which we celebrate and repeat in this Holy Eucharist. This is the Eucharist, which made the life of millions of people eternal for over two thousand years including Emperors, scholars and saints. Here, what is important, is not how it happens but why it happens and who gives it. Jesus didn’t say how it happens, but He clearly said why it happens. It happens because our God loves us. It is the free gift of a loving God. Its sole purpose is holy Communion. God wants to be with us and wants us to share with Him, the joyful eternal life.  The essential and important element here is not the depth of our theological understanding or knowledge of the Eucharist or our ability to grasp its dogmatic depth, but simple trust, and surrendering faith in God; to believe and accept the truth, that God gives of himself to us, His love for us to nourish us and strengthen us in our journey towards our eternal life, the plan of God; to accept this free gift with faith and proper disposition. This is what we see in the life of many kings, scholars and saints like Emperor Henry II, Thomas More, Thomas Aquinas, John Marie Vianney, Theresa of Liseux, St.Chavara, blessed Mother Teresa and many more.

As Scripture says and history proves, the greatest wisdom is to know God, and the true wisdom leads us to God. True wisdom enables us to find new life in God and renew it every day, drawing life-giving and strengthening energy from God through the sacraments, Scriptures, prayers and a faith-filled life. This is the specialty of God’s love, this is the nature of God’s free gift to us. Whoever we are, wherever we are, whatever we are, we only need to receive the body and blood of Christ, with true faith and proper disposition, i.e. our life and faith should go together. Our lives should be a life of ‘living’ that self-giving love of God in truth.

In a few minutes, we are going to receive this great gift of God, the life giving body and blood of Christ. Let us pray for grace to live our day-to-day lives, worthy of receiving the Eucharist, and foretasting our joyful eternal life on this earth, and to become worthy of eternal life. Let us rejoice in this dynamic, life-giving Bread. God bless you.