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March 18, 2007

Fourth Sunday in Lent: Jesus the Bread of Life

The history of Isarael as well as our own lives are seen in terms of two things: what is temporal and what is spiritual. Referring to this in today's epistle, St. Paul recalls from the Book of Genesis: there were two children born unto Abraham. One was Ishmael and the other was Isaac. Ishmael, was born in the 'ordinary way,'through a slave. Isaac was born out of the promise that God made to Abraham even in his ripe old age. While making a distinction between the two, St. Paul uses this example to further explain the temporal and spiritual in terms of the earthly Jerusalem and heavenly Jerusalem. In other words, our lives on earth are mundane, earthly while we have an extraordinary dimension to our own lives that we are also citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem.

In our day-to-day living, we are involved with this struggle with the temporal and spiritual, what is of the flesh and therefore subject to doubts, worries, confusion, consternation. What is spiritual supernatural gives us the sense of worth, purpose as the children of God--that nothing can ever happen to us which God cannot contain.

For God is eternal, faithful, merciful and loving. In today’s Gospel we see the propensity of the mercy of our Lord towards the hungry crowd. The Lord provides for their temporal need. And this miracle happens through the generosity of a little boy. How important is the presence and contribution of children in building up the Kingdom of God. During the Tsunami. we had children empty their piggy bank to support the children. Another little boy from Siloam Springs took our brochure and went from door to door and raised $100. Another little girl in Northside Elementary made bows and raised $500 and donated the amount. See what children do in times of need. They can compete with the adults and excel our own generosity.

So, Jesus takes care of the temporal need of the multitude and provides them bread. The crowd wants more temporal bread as we would read the passage of John 6. There was a great following because Jesus was performing miracles.

"I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."

Jesus would take a moment to teach them about what is spiritual, what is lasting, what is significant. He is the Bread of Life, Bread from Heaven, the life giving bread. Hise flesh and blood would nourish the soul, just as ordinary food satiates our physical appetite.

48I am the bread of life. 49Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

The miracle of multiplication is a sign of what is to come, that after his ascension and until his second coming, that scores of people will begin to break his body and drink His blood in the Eucharist, doing this in remembrance of Him thereby fulfilling his command.

I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.

They were only attentive to the temporal meaning while they lost the spiritual blessings. Here was the son of God among them telling them that he is the bread come down from heaven and their eyes are fixated on the multiplication of loaves.

35And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

58This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

If these words of from our Lord and Master, then why do we not trust him? Why do we have to rely on the historic man made twists. And yet during the history of Christendom, the followers of Christ have found enough reason to dilute this discourse of Jesus on the bread of life, reducing it to a mere symbol. Many Christian confessions are still divided because of disagreement over the manner in which Jesus is present in the Eucharist bread. Some think, he is physically present, others think he is spiritually present and still others think that he is only symbolically present. How could we have so much of differentiation when our Lord and master having explained to the spiritual significance of the Food of Eternal Life and he is loud and clear.55For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

And that begs the question of Jesus in the Eucharist, His real presence. We need to believe in what the Lord has told us other than what some people have told us because of their vested interest have interpreted this unto their own advantage. That He is real and that He is present. Is this hard for us to believe? Well in the time of Jesus there were people who found this teaching very hard to believe as well. 60On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"

Yes we pray in the prayer of humble access: We do not presume to come to this thy table O Lord... Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his Body, and our souls washed through his most precious Blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us.

Its better to err on the right side than otherwise. Its better to believe the words of the Lord than believe the interpretation of men. It is better to believe the words of the apostles who were in close contact with our Lord and the first Christians who were devout followers of Christ and gave their lives in martyrdom for their faith than the words of the so called ministers who bask in the lap of luxuries in God's name. The words of our master is loud and clear: Unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink of His blood you will have no life in you.

Remember the post-resurrection scenario, when the doubting Thomas had his own moment about the risen Lord?

John 20.But Thomas said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." 26A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." 28Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" 29Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

We belong to the group of the Blessed for we believe though we do not see the Lord physically. In today's Eucharist, may we receive the Lord as St.Thomas did, "My Lord and My God". May His presence fulfill you. May His grace be sufficient for you to face the temporality of life, knowing that we serve a risen saviour and have a life beyond this mundane one.

Posted by frleo at March 18, 2007 7:32 AM

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