18^th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year B.

Readings: Ex. 16:2-4,12-15, Eph. 4:17,20-24, and Jn. 6:24-35.

“Jesus is the Bread of Life, Food That Lasts Forever.”

Beloved Brothers and Sisters,

1.     Last Sunday, we reminded ourselves of the generosity of God. We noted how he gives without measure, without counting. As a generous God, he asks us his creatures to imitate him in giving, in sharing our talents and gifts with others especially the underprivileged. We noted as central to our reflection the expectations of Christ for us, his brothers and sisters - to put all our possessions at the disposition of our sisters and brothers. This is his dearest wish – the miracle that would transform the world that men and women of all nations and places put aside their selfishness and put to work their abilities, intelligence and energies for the good of all, especially the poor. The disciples of Jesus cannot worthily break the Eucharistic Bread together unless they are first ready to share with their sisters and brothers their material bread. Sharing what they have with those who may not have as much. Yes, the bread belonging to one must become food for all.

2.    Having had their fill as we saw it last Sunday, the Jews came the next day looking for Jesus who has the wonderful power of feeding so many people with so little. If he did it yesterday, he can still do it today as they would have imagined. Earlier on as indicated in our first reading, God le the Jews out of slavery in Egypt to the promised land in Canaan. This was not a ride on an easy street to get there. The path to freedom led them through a desert, which required them to be dependent on God. God took them out from Egypt, but He also had to take Egypt out of the Israelites. At the bread of life discourse at today’s gospel text, Jesus refers to this OT scene. He directs the people to look beyond the physical food they hungered for and to instead see the eternal life for which they should have been yearning. Why are they looking for Jesus? Was it to listen to his word, to learn more about his teachings, to understand better the meaning of what he did. Nothing of all this. They seek him out only for one reason: they have been given a lot of bread, gratuitously, and they hope to continue being fed like this forever, without having to work anymore. What Jesus meant teach them is this ‘I have more to offer you than a full stomach. I have greater riches than those you are thinking of. I have for you gifts and blessings more precious than what you are looking for. You want bread to satisfy your hunger. I offer you bread to feed my own life in you. Bread that will lead you to eternal life. This is the bread you should be looking for.’

3.     God gave the Israelites Manna at the Desert. Like his graces he never grants them to foster laziness. The gift of Manna, which is a help to his people, is also a means, a stimulus to grow in faith. As the Jews grew in faith and trust in Moses, so Jesus expects them and us to believe in him likewise. What is the purpose of believing in Christ? Is it to be sure that he existed, that he was a great and important person in history, and that he taught things that are right? Faith in Jesus Christ cannot be reduced to a set of reasons. It requires joining one’s life to his and choosing to give it up with him for the brothers and sisters in whatever form this may take. Yes, Jesus is the bread of life. He says “I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever hunger.” Jesus as the bread of life is the Eucharist Bread. He is present to feed us. He wants to fill our hearts. Jesus wants us to understand that:

-         His love will fill our hearts.

-         In him we will be completely at peace.

-         In him, we will find true happiness.

-         Near him, nothing can threaten us. Etc.

4.     Dear friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, my experience in America is that many Christians who come to Church receive the Eucharist. Very few people who come to Church do not receive the Eucharist. This is beautiful, so encouraging. While it would be worthwhile to correct whatever prevents you from the frequent and regular reception of the Eucharist, it is a lot worthwhile to be sure you receive the Eucharist in the state of grace, that is, without having any unforgiven or unabsolved grave sin in your soul. Writing to the Corinthians, St. Paul had warned against the unworthy reception of the Eucharist: “Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgement on himself. That is why many among you are ill and infirm, and a considerable number are dying.” (1Cor. 11: 27-30). With this understanding, it is better not to receive than to receive the Eucharist unnecessarily in the state of grave sin.

5.     When you receive the Eucharist in the state of grave sin, you commit a sacrilege. This means that you commit an abomination (you have done something greater than a grave sin) because you have spoiled that which is Holy. The desired effect is not realized with the unworthy reception of the Eucharist. Aware that his followers being human will commit sin, he introduced the Sacrament of Confession, so that we frequently purify ourselves therein to worthily be fed with the Eucharistic Bread for the nourishment of our souls and bodies. To become what we consume, Jesus Christ. Those who worthily receive him are constantly being transformed to new persons as per the recommendation of St. Paul to the Ephesians in the second reading today: “…that you should put the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the Spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.” The worthy reception of the Eucharist transforms us, the refreshing grace of prayer, the sacrament of reconciliation as well as the charitable acts we perform are the many opportunities to put the old and take on the new. May God grant us the grace. To God be the glory and honor forever and ever. Amen.

Fr. Anthony D. Lawir,

Pastor, St. Agnes and Our Lady of Snows Parishes. (Pittsfield and Dexter).