Living the Eucharist, Part 2 (readings from August 19, 2018)

Key:

What these passages tell us about God

What these passages tell us to do

What these passages tell us not to do

Commentary

Hyperlink

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."

In a previous post we looked at how these readings call us to do more than simply receive the Body and Blood at Mass, but instead call us to consume Jesus in all areas of our lives. This post looks at what these readings tell us about how to do that. They give us several specific instructions:

1.    We are to do so humbly. As the psalm tells us, “the lowly will hear” God.

2.    We are to do so intentionally. The first reading tells us to “turn” and “come” to Him. The psalm speaks of seeking God, looking to Him, calling out. The second reading tells us to “watch carefully how [we] live” and exhorts us to “try to understand what is the will of the Lord.” All those things involve intentional efforts to get closer to God. Similar instruction is found in the scriptures collected in Wisdom Principles: We Must Make Real Effort/Sacrifice to Receive All that God Offers, But It Is Well Worth It. 

3.    We are to do so persistently, over time.  The first reading’s statement about “advance[ing] in understanding” implies an ongoing progression.  A similar implication is made in the scriptures collected in Wisdom principles: We Grow in Godliness Over Time, Gradually. 

4.    We are to do so in all areas of our lives.  The first reading ‘s statement about wisdom calling out from “the heights out over the city” suggests us that God reaches out in the midst of the busy, seemingly secular, parts of our lives. That is reinforced by the second reading’s instruction to give thanks “always and for everything.”Similar statements are made in Proverbs 1:20-21, Proverbs 9:3, Ephesians 6:5-8, and Colossians 3:22-24. 

5.     We are to do so the exclusion of other things. The first reading tells us to “forsake foolishness.” The second reading tells us to “not continue in ignorance” and “not get drunk on wine.” We have to give some things up to receive the much better things Christ offers.

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6.    We are to do so joyfully, with enthusiasm. The second reading talks about “singing and playing to the Lord in [our] hearts,” and “giving thanks always and for everything.”