Word to the Wise
Monday, April 11, 2016 - 3rd Week of Easter - Mon
[Acts 6:8-15 and John 6:22-29]MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2016 ST. STANISLAUS [Acts 6:8-15 and John 6:22-29] "Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal." So they said to him, "What can we do to accomplish the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent." [John] The "Bread of Life discourse" from the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John, will supply the gospel scripture for the next few days. I recommend reading the whole chapter now, beginning with the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, so that you have a big picture in which to put the various pieces that will come each day. Many of the features of the Gospel of John that I have mentioned in the past will be at work. The first feature is the Sign/discourse feature. Jesus has just performed the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. This will be followed by a dialogue/discourse. A second feature is "misunderstanding." The crowd misunderstands the sign and comes looking for Jesus to give them more "food." There is also a misunderstanding of what "works" means. Jesus tells them that faith in him as the one whom God has sent is the "work of God." There is more to come, but for the moment, we might look more closely at "the work of God." If we believe that Jesus is the one whom God has sent, then his words about giving us his flesh to eat and his blood to drink will make more sense. Nothing is impossible to him and he will not make cannibals of us! At first he will not speak in this way but will refer to himself as a kind of new Moses but on a higher level, giving us the "bread of life" which is faith in him. Then the meaning will shift to a more "Eucharistic" plane. If we take the time to consider all this over the next few days, it can make a big difference in how we get in that line "to receive communion." AMEN
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