Living the Eucharist, part 1(readings for August 19, 2018)

Key:

What these passages tell us about God

What these passages tell us to do

Reading 1 PRV 9:1-6

Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven columns; she has dressed her meat, mixed her wine, yes, she has spread her table. She has sent out her maidens; she calls from the heights out over the city: "Let whoever is simple turn in here; to the one who lacks understanding, she says, come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding."

Responsorial Psalm PS 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

R. (9a) Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Reading 2 EPH 5:15-20

Brothers and sisters: Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord.  And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.

Alleluia JN 6:56

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel JN 6:51-58

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."

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.  For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.  Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.  This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."

This gospel reading speaks to something that goes beyond simply receiving the Body and Blood at Mass. That is true in several respects.

1.    Jesus’ statement that we must eat and drink His body and blood to “have life within” us tells us that we must make Him the consuming focus, the priority, the organizing principle of our lives. Jesus must be to us (at least) what sports, pop culture, or politics are to those who “eat and drink” sports, pop culture, or politics.

2.    Jesus’ statement that “my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink” communicates that that His nature and teaching, made the focus of our lives as discussed in point 1 above, are sufficient to sustain us in every aspect of our lives, just as ordinary food and drink sustain us in all areas of our lives.

3.      Jesus’ statements also imply that we must seek Him as consistently and regularly as we seek physical food and drink.

-->

4.      None of these directions in any way detract from the centrality or nature of the Eucharist at the Mass itself.