For couple of Sundays, the gospel reading has been on John 6, known as the catechesis of the Eucharist, which continues the emphasis of Christ the Bread of Life. This emphasis is to establish the importance of the Eucharist in our lives. Today’s liturgy presents to us an invitation to eat of the Bread God Himself prepared for us as seen in the first reading, while Christ in the gospel defines this Bread as His flesh. In the first reading, we will notice that Wisdom is personified as a woman, which seems odd that a woman, in a patriarchal society, will speak and act in Godly authority.
Solomon the author of this pericope in the book of Proverbs pictures wisdom as a woman of generous hospitality who has “Slaughtered her beast, she has mixed her wine, she has also set the table” (Proverbs 9:2) and She invites “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” (v.4). Wisdom invites us to “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed” (v.6). With this, there is an allegorical reference to communion, in the mention of bread and wine. Wisdom has set the table with the best of best. She has shouted the invitation from the rooftops. She has sent out her maid to call the simple to her banquet from the highest places in the town, which is an allusion to those who will preach the gospel and the catechism of the of the Eucharist.
Now it is up to those who have been called. Will they respond, or will they ignore the invitation? The gospel presents a catechesis of Christ on the Eucharist. Prior to this pericope was the multiplication of bread and the feeding of the multitude who had followed him for more bread and he said to them, “You seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate the loaves, and were filled. Don’t work for food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the son of man will give to you” (Jn 6:24-25). Christ ceased the opportunity to teach them of the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life forever.
They demanded for this bread and Christ gave them the hard teaching they found difficult to comprehend: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, he who eats me will live forever…” (vv. 51-55). This teaching was strange to them and hearing it, the Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (Jn 6:52) and in their pride they gradually backed out of the banquet. With this catechesis, Christ and his believers were grievously accused of cannibalism. He said His body is the true food and his blood true drink. Even as they desert him, Christ never compromised his teaching, he insistently and consistently taught them that “My flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed” (v. 55).
Maybe, one of the most “scandalizing” Catholic doctrine is the “Real Presence” of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament otherwise known as transubstantiation. Many people and perhaps even Catholics with epileptic kind of faith today have the same reaction as those disciples who heard Christ preach it for the first time in Capernaum and were scandalized. However, the truth is that, His body is true food and his blood true drink. He did not compromise his teaching just to win their hearts. He was not afraid of losing his congregation because of the truth that lies in his teaching.
What the Church emphasizes within these weeks of our reflections on the discourse of the Eucharist in John 6 is that the Consecrated Bread and Wine is of utmost importance to us. It is the most excellent gift ever given to us by Christ and is the sacramental presence of Christ in his Church. Without the Eucharist, there is no Catholic Church and without the Church or her priest, there is no Eucharist. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our life and faith (Lumen Gentium 11), the center of our celebration, the pillar of the Church (CCC 1324-5). These consecrated Bread and Wine is what makes us outstanding among others and we have no equal. Finally, as “Wisdom sent out her maid to call from the highest places in the town for the banquet” (Proverbs 9:3), which is an allusion to those who will preach the gospel, Christ in the gospel said, “As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me” (Jn 6:57).
Christ establishes a life-giving chain authority. The “living Father” sent him, and he lives because of the Father. In like manner, the person who feeds on him (believes in him/participates in the Eucharist) will live forever. The Eucharist gives and sustains our lives. It gives us the grace to feel forgiven and to be ready to forgive each other. It influences our communal life: the act of coming together around the table is necessary, it is the first sign of communion, after which we receive the sacramental communion. May the Body and Blood of Christ we receive, bring us to life everlasting. Amen! Happy Sunday!
