18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15 Ephesians 4:17, 20-24 John 6:24-35
The Old saying ‘Familiarity breeds contempt’ may be a saying too strong in many of the incidences in which it is used. When we speak of the Eucharist many of us could be blamed for allowing ourselves to slip away from the awesome reality of the Real Presence because we are casual about our relationship with the Blessed Sacrament or because of the often nonchalant way the Eucharist is handled and distributed. All of us need to be reminded of who it is who gives Himself to us as ‘the Bread of Life’.
In many ways, the Gospel of today’s Mass is a template wherein we can test ourselves about our understanding of Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist and consider how we may have lost some of the mystery that is the Real Presence of His Body and Blood to us.
The Gospel today takes up from the story of the multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes. Jesus, because they wanted to make him king, escaped the crowds and crossed the sea (he walked on the water) to the other side. The crowd followed and found him. They innocently ask him ‘Rabbi when did you come here’. That was not their real question! Jesus knew why they had followed and what was on their mind. Because of the signs and wonders, particularly because they had been fed with the bread.
Sometimes we take part in Mass only because we want to be fed. Perhaps we lose sight of the One we really meet, ‘the Son of Man, God himself’. We are introduced to this ‘Son of Man’ in the Liturgy of the Word, the first part of our celebration of the Eucharist. Just as the people followed Jesus and asked for more, when we come to celebrate, we are asking for more.
Maybe we are asking, or intend to ask ‘what we must do if we are to do the works that God wants?’ ____________________________________________________________
The answer to us is the same as Jesus gave: ‘Y__ou must believe in the one he has sent’. You must have Faith. Yes, you must get to know the One that the Father has sent. Listen to his word, learn of him through the Prophets and Holy Scribes, listen to the Psalms and Holy songs, hear the story of his life on earth; about how he came among us, died for us and saved us from our sins, how he invited us to share in his glorious Resurrection.
This is what the Liturgy of the Word does – it helps us to know the One that the Father sent! And then the people wanted to know more about the Bread. ‘It was not Moses who gave them bread from heaven – it was my Father’ and it is he who continues to feed you.
Still they do not understand. Is it possible that we lack understanding too? ‘Give us this bread’ they continue to insist. You already have it! ‘I am the Bread of life’
Having heard the word of God and having learnt of the Person of Jesus through our Sacred Scriptures we approach the reception of Communion in awe and trembling. It is Real Flesh and Real Blood – Lord we believe, help our unbelief!