JOHN 6

  

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this Monday in the Third Week of Easter is John 6.

We have a section of that chapter for our gospel reading today. [Cf. John 6: 22-29]

John 6 is the bread chapter in John.

John 6 is the Eucharistic chapter in John.

All those who go to Mass - and / or visit the adoration chapel a lot should read John 6 a lot. It has 71 verses. It’s long - and is usually broken up.

A STARTING IMAGE

Let me begin with a cute and interesting image.

A small company with about 15 folks in the business operations division got a new CEO.  At the first staff meeting for these 15 folks, this CEO said he would like to have dinner with all the families of the folks working there. He thought it would be very important not just to know those he’s working with - but also their families.

This was new. This was different. 

It was this one guy’s night for the dinner. He said to his wife. You’ll  sit next to the president. We’ll have our 5 little kids at the table as well - and I’ll serve the meal. That should impress him.

The meal began and this guy’s wife asked the CEO if he wanted pot roast. “Yes” - then mashed potatoes, “Yes” - then broccoli, “Yes”. And then his wife filled the boss’ plate. Then she started cutting the CEO’s meat - till she caught herself and got totally embarrassed and red in the face.

Well, that’s a way of tackling this 6^th chapter of John.

I would like to cut it up into 12 pieces and then do the same for today’s small part of the 6^th chapter - cutting that into 3 parts. That’s my sort of a sermon.

It’s a method of reading scripture. Just isolate, cut out one part, and then chew on that text.

12 THEMES - 12 PIECES OF JOHN 6 TO CHEW ON AND DIGEST

First theme or piece: The Passover. It’s mentioned here in John 6:4, “Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near.” It would be wise to reflect on the Passover - the Jews passing over, escaping from Egypt into the desert and heading for the Promised Land. Christ leads us out of slavery. It’s called the New Exodus. It’s called redemption. It’s called salvation. His blood be upon us - our homes - our new lives.

Second theme or piece: Give What You Can Give. You can’t give it all or do it all - or have it all.  I heard Father Matt Allman preach on this theme just last Friday to our high school kids.

Third Theme: Step In and Step Up.  Andrew, the most important apostle in the gospels steps up from time to time and saves everything.

Fourth Step: Remember the Fish. When you read the New Testament, look for mention of the fish.  Christ is symbolized by the fish. It’s ICHXTHUS -  I stands for Jesus.

Fifth Piece: Gather up the fragments.  After all are fed, Jesus says to gather up the fragments.  We store Jesus in the tabernacle.

Sixth Piece: The New Moses - Jesus is the Prophet. He’s the new Moses.

Seventh Piece: The Crossing - Life is a cross the sea or the desert.

Eight Piece: What Are You Looking For?  This question appears several time in the gospels What are we looking for?  Jesus asked the crowd: what are you looking for?

Ninth Piece: Jesus is the Bread of Life. What are you hungering for - Regular Bread and the Eternal Bread of life.

Tenth Piece: God is Our Father - Jesus is here to lead us to the Father.

Eleventh Piece: Want to live forever?  Jesus is the food for eternal life. Eat him and you’ll live forever.

Twelfth:  The Eucharist is a Test.  Many walked away.

PART TWO: TODAY’S GOSPEL - THREE PIECES

First Piece: Two Types of Bread: regular bread and eternal life bread.  We need both.

Second Piece: We are all searchers -- Looking for, searching for, wanting.

Third Piece: We are all looking for Signs.