WHOEVER  EATS THIS BREAD 

WILL LIVE FOREVER 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 20^th Sunday in Ordinary Time [B] is, “Whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

That comment from Jesus is in the opening words of today’s gospel from the 6^th Chapter of John.

“Jesus said to the crowds: ‘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.”

Our gospel readings for the 17 -18 - 19 - 20 - and  21^st Sundays in Ordinary Time, Year B, this particular year - are all part of the 6^th Chapter of the Gospel of John.  It’s a long chapter like many of the chapters in John.

This is the year of the gospel of Mark. It’s on a 3 year cycle. But Mark is only 16 chapters, so they stuck John 6 in in order to have enough Gospel texts so they can stretch Mark out to the end of Church year.

I hear priests say it’s tricky preaching on the Eucharist - the Bread - for 5 straight weeks.

TODAY

Today I want to look at a human feeling and thought and wonderings about forever. 

I want to look a little bit at aging, death, term limits. 

We all know our birthday. It comes around every year. We all know  that we also have a death day. But we don’t stop  to look at it, or want to look at it - because we don't know what day it is - obviously.

The title of my homily, “Whoever eats this bread will live forever.” It obviously hits and sits right there next to the question of forever.

Is there a forever?

Jesus chose bread as the forever solution.

I’ve noticed that people who come back to Church - often come back because they miss the bread. They miss communion.

And let me tell you, the 6^th Chapter of John is central for all this.

I suggest the following:  sometime this week - when it’s quiet - and you have space - take your Bible - dust it off - if you have to dust it off - and open it up to the 6^th chapter of John - and read it slowly.

It’s a long read. It’s a full meal. Take and read. Take and eat.  Take and chew. Take and digest. Take and be nourished with the word of God.

HOW TO READ THE BIBLE

As you know, there are various ways to read the Bible.

One of the ways I was trained on how to read and interpret the Bible was to picture the audience it’s aimed at.  So the gospel of John is aimed at a group of people - not in front of Jesus around the year 30 - but for some Christians - followers of Jesus - from around the 90’s and the turn of the century.

I read that it’s aimed at people who are struggling with the reality of what Jesus is saying: “Want to live forever, eat me up!”  “Want companionship! Take and eat.” “This is my body. This is my blood.”

Then next Sunday we’re going to hear the sad sentence - from the last part of this 6^th Chapter of John, “As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.”

Notice that word “accompany”. It has the prefix “con" or "com” and the root word for “bread” - “pan”.  They no longer ate the bread with him - and the bread that is he.

I went to a family wedding last week. It was wonderful because I got a chance to be with my family and attend a wedding not as priest - but as an uncle. I sat back and watched everything. 

It also caused me to do lots of thinking - and wondering. The outdoor setting was beautiful - and it was a perfect day. I was aware that the Catholic Church wants weddings indoors - and in a sacred place. I am aware that there are many outdoor sacred places - but our Church wants marriages in churches.

I wasn't asked to do it - but not for that reason. They wanted the person who performed and helped with the ceremony to do it - and he did a good job. 

Being priest, I was seeing it as priest - and I wanted more God in the ceremony - obviously, so I was seeing the kind of wedding I've heard many a parent tell me about.

I've heard various folks say about weddings they were at: "There was no mention of God."

My nephew and his wife chose not to go that way.

Judge not. 

It got me thinking about what we as Church have done that various couples don't want a Church wedding.

Have we institutionalized religions that have lost an appeal? Have our mistakes and our sins triggered people from wanting a religious ceremony for their wedding. 

Or did this couple and many couples just think a beautiful outdoor wedding with green flowing willow trees shaking in the breeze - is a much more beautiful a scene than many a church?

It's time to celebrate.

So I let some of these thoughts go - and enjoyed being with family for the great reception that followed the wedding ceremony.

But the next few days I reflected on my need to be more faith filled. It got me thinking why do some kids not feel the need to eat Christ - to walk into churches to thank God with other Christians - and be in communion with each other and with Christ?

Central to my thinking is the importance of coming to Mass - on a Sunday basis.

I like being in communion with family and parish.

I am feeling sad that it seems the numbers coming to Sunday Mass is going down around here.

Being in communion with you and others is very important to me.  Thank you for being here.

I am glad that the Church is giving us this 6^th chapter of John to get us in touch with some of this today.

A SECOND POINT

So that’s my first point: being together here in this church today - eating the bread, sharing this hour, sitting here at this table, being at this meal. It’s very important to our lives as followers of Christ - to be in this together in Christ.

The word Catholic means “Kata” the Greek prefix for “with” or “con” or “com” in Latin - and Holos - the Greek word for “whole” - the whole group.

My second point is that point I already started to get into - we eat this bread with the promise of living forever.

Jesus’ words triggered for me the question of death and after death question: Is there anything after death? Is there a forever? Or is this all there is?

I’m sure I’m thinking about this because this week I had 2 funerals - two women who died of cancer. One was 59. She had ovarian cancer. The other was 69. She had cervical cancer. The week before that I had 2 funerals as well.

I’m glad I went to a meeting last Wednesday evening about athletics and coaches for this next school year at St. Mary’s High School. Youth. New life. What’s next?

Jesus’ comment about eating this bread and living forever - triggered for me the words “fountain of youth.”

So I did some research on that.  I read that Ponce de Leon gets the reputation of searching everywhere for the Fountain of Youth - and you can find a place in Florida with his name on it - and you can drink that water.

I found out it’s not true - it’s all legend. Not bad if you’re running a place in Florida with that legend.

He died at 47 from an arrow wound - when fighting some native Floridians.

Then I read that’s a human thing - that is found in various legends and stories from way, way, way back - well into B.C. Before Christ.

Then I read about plastic surgery - being a 12 billion dollar industry here in the U.S. and all kinds of “staying young forever” exercises and foods and practices.

I read that 5 key foods are: Veggies like carrots and tomatoes, soy, chocolate, coconut oil, and eggs. I’m sure those industries would want that promoted.

Just read any magazine in the doctor or dentist’s offices and you’ll find many more suggestions.

Health…. Health …. Health…..

Exercise, exercise, exercise…..

MOVIES AND BOOKS ETC.

I also noticed references to various novels and movies that get into this issue of aging - going backwards and forwards - for example, starting at 80 and going towards our back in the womb again.

In high school I played the part of a 20 year older who reverted back to becoming a baby. The lines in Act 3 were easy to memorize as I sat there in my baby carriage.

As priest I’ve heard many person’s stories - so I was fascinated by the movie, Moonstruck, when Loretta’s mom, Rose Castorinia, played by Olivia Dukakis,  keeps asking everyone the reason why men cheat. That’s what her husband Cosmo was into. She is not satisfied with any answer till someone says, “They are scared of death!”

Is that all of us - at some point?  It’s my experience - for some people yes and for some people no.

I’ve always asked, “Am I?”

If that’s true, why wouldn’t everyone want communion - the Bread of life called “Jesus” - to eat him up and live forever.

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily is, “Whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

Chew on that during this Mass - especially when you come up for communion.

Take a look all the people around you - with faith - Christians say, “Because of Christ, we’ll be with him and each other forever.”

And for homework, read that 6^th chapter of the Gospel of John. It’s for all us.