Word to the Wise
Sunday, August 22, 2021 - 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time - B
[Josh 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b; Eph 5:21-32 or 5:2a, 25-32; John 6:60-69]Many of Jesus' disciples who were listening said, "This saying is hard, who can accept it?"......As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to the former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe tnd are convinced that you are the Holy One of God." [John]
For the past few Sundays (with the exception of last Sunday, the feast of the Assumption) the gospel scripture has come from the sixth chapter of the Gospel According to John, the "Bread of Life discourse," This discourse follows the sign of the multiplication of loaves and fishes. One could see the discourse as a reflection of the multiple meanings of Jesus' sign as well as possible debate and conflict over those meanings! "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" The teaching about Jesus' identity as the bread of life and the way in which this bread is given (the Eucharist) was a theological "line in the sand" for the early Christian community, many of whom still considered themselves still to be faithful Jews. But their belief in Jesus as the bread of life and physically present in the bread of worship meant they would be expelled from the synagogue!
To this day, unfortunately, the Eucharist is a dividing line between Catholics and Protestants as well as an obstacle to others who might otherwise be attracted to Catholicism. It is an act of faith to recognize the consecrated host and wine to be the very Body and Blood of Christ. The act of consecration is not the act of the priest but of the Holy Spirit. It is rather strange that other miracles may be accepted but this one isn't. The ultimate question, in my view, in the Gospel According to John, is whether or not Jesus is the One whom God has sent? If he is, then he can do what he has asked us to do, i.e. to consume him as the bread of life. Simon Peter's profession of faith must become ours: "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God." AMEN.