August 22, 2021
Trinity 12
(Joshua 24:1-2, 14-18; John 6:60-69)
Bread has always been an important basic food for people. Bread was made at home by wives and daughters. It was usually made fresh each day but, because it could last for several days without going bad, it could also be given to those setting out on a long journey. Bread was often offered to strangers who passed through the land and when God's people were disobedient, God warned them that their supply of daily bread would be taken away as punishment.
Most bread was made in flat cakes on flat stones or in pans. Some was baked into larger, thicker loaves that were placed on a special table in the temple and offered to God as “sacred loaves of bread.” Only priests could eat this bread, but David and his supporters were once given some by the priests when David and his men were starving. God provided bread for the Israelite people as they were wandering through the desert of Sinai on the way from Egypt to the promised land. They called this bread manna, which in Hebrew, means “What is this?” This bread is also referred to as the bread from heaven.
Ancient documents discovered in the 20th century known as the Dead Sea Scrolls revealed that Jews in the community at Qumran shared meals of bread and wine. These meals were both a celebration of good times in the present and a celebration of the day when God would defeat their enemies and send the Messiah. Jesus' followers believe that he was God's chosen Messiah and the true bread from heaven that gives life. Jesus told his followers to ask God to give them the basic food bread they needed to live from day to day. After Jesus was taken to heaven, they continued to celebrate their new life together as God’s people by “breaking bread” in ordinary meals and by sharing in the bread of Communion (Eucharist), which Jesus said was his Body.
Let us listen to the previous verses to that which we have just heard in our Gospel reading this morning. We need to remember these words in order for our Gospel reading today to make sense.
(John 6:41-51) The Jews murmured about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven,” and they said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? Then how can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop murmuring[r] among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. It is written in the prophets:
‘They shall all be taught by God.’
Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”
Jesus begins what scholars call the “Bread of Life Discourse,” or what some like to call the “Jesus mic drop!” Jesus drops a bomb of sorts. He says I am the bread of life. Full stop. Record scratch. Everybody in room turns to look…What did he just say??!!
“I am the bread of life….I am the bread that came down from heaven… I am the living bread…. The bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh… Eat the flesh of the son of man….my flesh is food….my blood is drink…he who eats me will live…he who eats this bread will live forever.” As if he wanted to be sure that he was clear, he restates multiple times that he is the bread of heaven and he must be eaten! Oooooookay then! Seems pretty clear to me.
This indeed seems pretty clear. Each time he says something that seems inflammatory, he just doubles down and says it again in a different way. He doesn't want the crowd to go away thinking he's speaking in metaphorical terms (which is a mercy for the disciples, who as we know, gets thrown off by that kind of thing).
“I am the bread that gives life.” Jesus compares himself to the miraculous gift of manna that God sent from heaven. Just as God sent them manna, God sends Jesus to bring life.
“This language is very hard,” they say. How could Jesus’ listeners believe that he, the “son of Joseph,” had come from God? And today how can we believe that we need the Eucharist? Jesus tells us why he came: The Son of God came down to us, so that later he would ascend to where he was before. He came from God to communicate to us the very life of God and to bring us to the bosom of God.
The truth is that by Christ’s resurrection, our world has started its renewal. For when the Son of Man entered the Glory of his Father, he carried on his shoulders the whole of creation which he wanted to renew and consecrate. Clothed in our humanity, the Son of God has ascended to where he was before; the first of our race has achieved full union with God.
Although, to all appearances, life goes on as before, we should believe that the renewed world has made been made present. The Spirit is at work with gigantic disturbances which continually agitate and shake the whole of humanity. Invincibly Christ is consecrating this world. He enables humanity to arrive at maturity by means of innumerable crisis and deaths that prepare for resurrection.
Jesus’ listeners could not understand the mystery of the Son of God and his humiliations. Jesus wanted to dispossess himself of his divine glory by becoming human and dying like a slave and, so that later the Father would enable him to ascend to where he had come from. It is likewise a test of our faith to believe that God continually works among us in our world. In spite of the unresponsiveness of people, God still loves us; the Church is so unworthy, yet God uses it to fulfill his plan; history is so destructive, yet it is preparing us for the fullness of the Kingdom.
Jesus spoke of giving us his flesh, but this should not be understood as a continuation of Jewish religion, in which the meat of sacrificed animals was eaten. In Hebrew culture, flesh and blood denote “the world below” where humankind move and where one has no access to communication with God. The Eucharist is different. This is the body, or flesh, of the risen Christ transformed by the Holy Spirit, which acts in us spiritually and brings us into communion with God.
We must remember that Jesus also meant that to “eat his flesh” also had a spiritual meaning of trusting and believing in him, especially in his death for the sins of mankind. Similarly, to “drink his blood” means to trust in his atoning death, which is represented by the shedding of his blood.
The flesh, in example, human nature including emotions, will and intellect, is completely incapable of producing genuine spiritual life, for this can only be done by the Spirit. But the Holy Spirit works powerfully in and through the words that Jesus speaks, and those words are spirit and life in a sense that they work in the unseen spiritual realm - an awakened genuine spiritual life.
Jesus’ divine omniscience is shown by the fact that he knew the status of everyone's heart and therefore he knew who those were who did not believe. He also knew the future because he knew who it was who would betray him. Only God could know these things.
Many of these early disciples were not genuine disciples of Christ, for they turned back. Their initial “faith” was not genuine and they were maybe following Jesus only because of the physical benefits he gave, such as healing and multiplying of food.
The Holy Spirit gives spiritual life; without the work of the Holy Spirit we cannot even see our need for new life. All spiritual renewal begins and ends with God. He reveals truth to us, lives within us, and then enables us to respond to that truth.
Why did Jesus' words cause many of his followers to desert him? 1) They may have realized he wasn't going to be the conquering Messiah-king they expected. 2) He refused to give in to their self-centered requests. 3) He emphasized faith, not deeds. 4) His teachings were difficult to understand, and some of his words were offensive. As we grow in our faith, we may be tempted to turn away because Jesus’ lessons are difficult. Will we respond by giving up or rejecting Christ? Instead, we should be asking God to show us what these teachings mean and how they apply in our lives and then have the courage to act on God's truth.
There's no middle ground with Jesus. When he asked the disciples if they would also leave, he was showing that they could either accept or reject him. Jesus was not trying to repel people with his teachings. He was simply telling the truth. The more people heard Jesus’ real message, the more they divided into two camps - the honest seekers who wanted to understand more, and those who rejected Jesus because they didn't like what they had heard.
We also should notice here that this is the first reference of the Twelve in the gospel. (On a side note, when the “Twelve” or the original “Apostles” are in written form, they are always capitalized due to their importance in our Christian faith.) Their existence and appointment are assumed in the other three gospels.
After many of Jesus his followers had deserted him, he asked the 12 Apostles if they were also going to leave. In his straightforward way, Peter answered for all of us - there is no other way. Though there are our many philosophies and self-styled authorities, Jesus alone has the words of eternal life. People look everywhere for eternal life and miss Christ, who is the only source. We should stay with him especially when we are confused or feel alone.
And so, in answer to Christ’s question, if they will leave also, Peter responds, “to whom shall we go?” which rightly implies that there is no other teacher who can lead people to eternal life and true fellowship with God himself. Many of Jesus' followers left but, in the name of those who remain, Peter pledged his fidelity.
The words of Peter, “We have come to believe,” implies that Jesus’ disciples at this point had genuine, saving faith. Peter's confession of Jesus as “the Holy One of God” anticipates later references to Jesus being consecrated or set apart for service of God.
Our faith as Christians, whether we're Catholic or Protestant, we need to understand that this is a powerhouse core teaching kind of thing. As Catholics we see this discourse as literal truth…. just like the disciples who stayed behind. This discourse is like the part in a movie where a character lays out the ideas that you see in action at the climatic scene toward the end (in this case, the Last Supper). When we Catholics get to the Last Supper, we understand we've moved way past metaphor. Our non-Catholic brothers and sisters haven’t cottoned to the idea yet. And it's okay, no nobody is perfect…. except this one guy…. Jesus! To whom shall we go? Jesus, the Bread of life! Amen. Drop the mic.
Let us pray.
In today’s Gospel we read that many disciples deserted Jesus because they found his teachings hard to accept. We pray that we, like Peter, be blessed with the faith to recognize that Jesus is the Holy One who will bring us with Him into eternal life. We pray to the Lord.
We pray for those who have difficulty in believing in Jesus and in accepting his teachings that the Lord look down kindly on them and bestow on them the great gift of faith. We pray to the Lord.
We pray for the followers of Christ throughout the world, that they be strengthened in their faith and invigorated with the love of Christ for family, friends, neighbors and, in particular, the poor, the lonely and the deserted in this world. We pray to the Lord.
On today, the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence based on Religious Belief, we pray for all those who are being oppressed, persecuted and abused for their faith, just as Jesus was. We pray, Lord, that you welcome into your kingdom all Christian martyrs who have given their lives sharing your gospel and living out their faith. We pray to the Lord.
We pray for religious tolerance in our world, where different races and cultures can live in mutual respect and where peace and justice reigns, built and guided by love. At this time we pray in particular for the people of Afghanistan. We pray to the Lord.
We pray for the people of Haiti, for those who died and for those who have lost loved ones in last week’s tragic earthquake. We pray to the Lord.
For those on our parish prayer list, that they may receive swift answers to their needs and that they may find consolation through Christ’s healing presence. We pray to the Lord.
We bow our heads and remember in silence our own personal intentions and the intentions of those who have asked for our prayers (pause). We pray to the Lord.
Father God, we too often want to turn away because of your “hard sayings.” We lack the courage to learn the truth. We lack the desire to find You in Jesus. We merely want to be fed and experience miracles. Yet, we can experience these very things in your presence each time we approach you in the Holy Eucharist. Open our minds and heart to your hard teachings that we may learn to love the way you love.
O Lord, how easy it is to turn away from portrayals of a world in which so many of your children exist in abject destitution alongside our colossal opulence. Break our hearts with that which breaks your own, O Lord. Till the unplowed ground of our souls with Christ's very hand, that we might become a living sacrifice of first fruits for all those who hunger and thirst. Empower us to be and bring manna amid the deserts of despair, through Jesus Christ, the bread of life.
Pardoned by God's abounding grace, empowered by God's constant love and protected by God's peace, let us go forth to serve God and others, always humbly aware of our own shortcomings, but always encouraged by the faithful and loving presence of God in Christ Jesus, to whom be glory and power, now and forever. Amen.
God Love You +++
The Most Rev. Robert Winzens
Pastor – St. Francis Chapel
San Diego, CA
As a small parish, we come to you as beggars. As we go about our ministry to those who are not afraid of being progressives and the radical love of Jesus, we need your help to continue to keep the lights on and keep this vital ministry in an ever-hurting world. Please consider a gift, whether it be $1 or $1,000, you will be blessed equally in the Lord. Thank you and God Bless You!
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