Word to the Wise
Sunday, August 19, 2012 - 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time - B
[Prov 9:1-6; Eph 5:15-20; John 6:51-58]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. [John]
The scriptures for this Sunday begin with a passage from the Book of Proverbs that concludes with these lines: "Come eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding." These words from the Old Testament would enter inito the church's understanding of Jesus' gift and teaching of the eucharist. One can see something of a progression from the accounts of Jesus' words at the Last supper in the gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke, through St.Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians (ch. 15) to John 6, from which today's gospel scripture is taken. (The gospel scripture for the past two Sundays also came from this chapter.) As the church experienced opposition to its belief and liturgical life, it was forced to sharpen its memory and understanding of this essential truth about Christ. In partaking of the Body/Blood of Christ, the church becomes the Body of Christ. In this way we experience eternal life now and forever. Christ is the wisdom of God, and we partake of that wisdom when we worthily receive him in the celebration of the Eucharist.
The transformation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is the work of the Holy Spirit. While the church has considered how this transformation takes place, it ultimately is a matter of faith and mystery. Christ has asked us to "do this in memory of me." This celebration is the fulfillment of his promise to be with the church for all times. It is not merely a "symbol" of that promise. The invitation to the banquet is there and we experience true communion with Christ and one another in the Body of Christ. The lines from Proverbs are the best expression of the invitation. AMEN
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