Word to the Wise
Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - Wednesday in the Third Week of Easter
[Acts 8:1b-8 and John 6:35-40]Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day.
The Gospel of John is filled with moments of choice whenever Jesus' reveals something about himself. These "moments" are often presented in terms of "I AM" statements. Jesus has just identified himself to the crowds as the "bread of life." This has many echoes with the "Wisdom Literature" in the Old Testament that identifies wisdom with food and banquets. (Proverbs 9:2-5) There is the invitation to the banquet that Jesus speaks of in the synoptic gospels! The invitation is a present invitation in the Gospel of John with implications for the future. Jesus invites everyone to come but not all "see" and believe when they receive the invitation. There is no implication that some are invited and some are not. Our Catholic tradition rejects the notion of predestination. The invitation is to eternal life which begins with faith and continues through the "last day" when Jesus raises up those who have believed in him. The subject of those who for no fault of their own have never heard of the invitation or else receive it in ways that we do not know or understand is not addressed here. It remains a matter of considerable theological debate. For our Catholic tradition, we leave such matters to God. The gospel scripture will continue in this sixth chapter of John for the next few days. The theme of the Bread of Life as wisdom will slowly shift to the more eucharistic understanding of the body and blood of Jesus, in contrast to his "word" of divine wisdom. Don't go away! There is much to learn! AMEN
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