We've homily practice this week. Next Sunday is Corpus Christi. Here's my first draft...and probably final as I've run out of time to fiddle with it anymore!
Here's the Gospel text:
John 6:51-58 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’
52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ 53So Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; 55for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live for ever.’
Homily
All temporal life forms need food. Even the smallest microscopic forms of life , such as bacteria , need a source of nutrition to stay alive. Without food we are dead. We know this instinctively, because our stomachs soon let us know when it’s time for a good feed. The evidence is also often played out in the news when another famine comes to prominence.
In today’s Gospel the source of nutrition for our eternal life is Jesus himself. The equation is succinctly put. It couldn’t be simpler. Couldn’t be more obvious. Without the Eucharist – the thanksgiving that is Jesus, sacrificed, risen and ascended to that glorified bodily state, we are dead eternally. There is no prospect of eternal life. This my friends, is a very serious matter. Jesus gives us a solemn assurance of this. Therefore it is a Revealed truth. Not something that we can come to by the power of our own reason. Indeed to hear it boldy put as it is by Jesus, is to probably find ourselves in the same camp as the incredulous Jews, “how can this man give us his flesh to eat?” With perhaps some recoiling from the idea, because of its cannabilistic overtones.
However, as is often the case with Scripture, we have to go deeper, guided by the Holy Spirit, to identify the inner significant meaning of what John has written, that it is essential for our eternal life that we sacramentally eat the flesh and drink the blood of the sacrificed, risen and ascended Lord Jesus.
The Church knows this very well, and that’s why two of the Chief Commandments of the Church are to attend Mass on Sundays and Holydays of Obligation, and where properly disposed participate in Holy Communion. Also as a minimum to receive the Eucharist at least once a year, usually Easter or thereabouts. The necessity of our participation in the eucharist is underscored by these requirements. The Church, really does in this instance know what is best for us, and compels us to participation. Those of us who are parents will have insisted on numerous occasions that our young children eat certain types of food that we know are good for them.
The Eucharist, is a holy medicine that we have to take. We are ‘sick people’ because of the ravages of sin and the efforts of Satan to deceive and undermine us in many subtle ways. The Eucharist is necessary for our full incorporation into the Body of Christ, and for him to fully live his divine life in us. This is why the second person of the Most Blessed and Holy Trinity came and took flesh as Jesus, so that we might not perish, but have eternal life. Jesus is the love-gift from the Father to us. Lovers wish to be close to each other and consume each other. What lover has not said to their beloved , ‘you are so delicious, I wish I could eat you!’
However, participation in the Eucharistic is not a secret or solitary affair. It is a public act. We share a Holy Communion, typically considered as when we come up reverently to the ministers to take and eat of the Lord’s body and drink of his blood during Mass. However, we do not do this as individuals, but in the physical solidarity of the communion queue, and the spiritual solidarity with each other that is brought about by our participation in Holy Communion. That COMMON UNION that we share with each other is brought about in and through the incorporation into the very life of Jesus, by eating his body and drinking his blood. This Holy Common Union is essential for the building up of the Kingdom of God. By virtue of our baptism God invites us to participate in his plan for the extension of his Kingdom into all areas of the world. The eucharist provides a share in divine life to equip us to do that.
Sometimes we might put ourselves down a little and think that we are not worthy to receive communion on a Sunday on a regular basis. I’d like to ask you to think about that again, given the importance of the sacramental eating and drinking of the Lord’s body and blood. If you feel that you are not properly disposed to receive communion, then take the opportunity to resolve that matter by participating in the Sacramement of Reconciliation if necessary. Equally don’t be scrupulous about forgiven sins. None of us are worthy of the graces bestowed in the Eucharist and its eternal life giving properties. Jesus knows that. For those of you in the painful situation of divorce and remarriage, unite yourself spiritually to Jesus at the moment of Holy Communion – Jesus can also satisfy your desire for him and provide necessary graces for your salvation.
The same energy and life which is to be found in Jesus – life from the Father – ignited by the Holy Spirit – is passed on to us in the Eucharist.
I tell you most solemnly, says Jesus, anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood...has eternal life. It really is...a matter of life or death.
52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ 53So Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; 55for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live for ever.’
Homily
All temporal life forms need food. Even the smallest microscopic forms of life , such as bacteria , need a source of nutrition to stay alive. Without food we are dead. We know this instinctively, because our stomachs soon let us know when it’s time for a good feed. The evidence is also often played out in the news when another famine comes to prominence.
In today’s Gospel the source of nutrition for our eternal life is Jesus himself. The equation is succinctly put. It couldn’t be simpler. Couldn’t be more obvious. Without the Eucharist – the thanksgiving that is Jesus, sacrificed, risen and ascended to that glorified bodily state, we are dead eternally. There is no prospect of eternal life. This my friends, is a very serious matter. Jesus gives us a solemn assurance of this. Therefore it is a Revealed truth. Not something that we can come to by the power of our own reason. Indeed to hear it boldy put as it is by Jesus, is to probably find ourselves in the same camp as the incredulous Jews, “how can this man give us his flesh to eat?” With perhaps some recoiling from the idea, because of its cannabilistic overtones.
However, as is often the case with Scripture, we have to go deeper, guided by the Holy Spirit, to identify the inner significant meaning of what John has written, that it is essential for our eternal life that we sacramentally eat the flesh and drink the blood of the sacrificed, risen and ascended Lord Jesus.
The Church knows this very well, and that’s why two of the Chief Commandments of the Church are to attend Mass on Sundays and Holydays of Obligation, and where properly disposed participate in Holy Communion. Also as a minimum to receive the Eucharist at least once a year, usually Easter or thereabouts. The necessity of our participation in the eucharist is underscored by these requirements. The Church, really does in this instance know what is best for us, and compels us to participation. Those of us who are parents will have insisted on numerous occasions that our young children eat certain types of food that we know are good for them.
The Eucharist, is a holy medicine that we have to take. We are ‘sick people’ because of the ravages of sin and the efforts of Satan to deceive and undermine us in many subtle ways. The Eucharist is necessary for our full incorporation into the Body of Christ, and for him to fully live his divine life in us. This is why the second person of the Most Blessed and Holy Trinity came and took flesh as Jesus, so that we might not perish, but have eternal life. Jesus is the love-gift from the Father to us. Lovers wish to be close to each other and consume each other. What lover has not said to their beloved , ‘you are so delicious, I wish I could eat you!’
However, participation in the Eucharistic is not a secret or solitary affair. It is a public act. We share a Holy Communion, typically considered as when we come up reverently to the ministers to take and eat of the Lord’s body and drink of his blood during Mass. However, we do not do this as individuals, but in the physical solidarity of the communion queue, and the spiritual solidarity with each other that is brought about by our participation in Holy Communion. That COMMON UNION that we share with each other is brought about in and through the incorporation into the very life of Jesus, by eating his body and drinking his blood. This Holy Common Union is essential for the building up of the Kingdom of God. By virtue of our baptism God invites us to participate in his plan for the extension of his Kingdom into all areas of the world. The eucharist provides a share in divine life to equip us to do that.
Sometimes we might put ourselves down a little and think that we are not worthy to receive communion on a Sunday on a regular basis. I’d like to ask you to think about that again, given the importance of the sacramental eating and drinking of the Lord’s body and blood. If you feel that you are not properly disposed to receive communion, then take the opportunity to resolve that matter by participating in the Sacramement of Reconciliation if necessary. Equally don’t be scrupulous about forgiven sins. None of us are worthy of the graces bestowed in the Eucharist and its eternal life giving properties. Jesus knows that. For those of you in the painful situation of divorce and remarriage, unite yourself spiritually to Jesus at the moment of Holy Communion – Jesus can also satisfy your desire for him and provide necessary graces for your salvation.
The same energy and life which is to be found in Jesus – life from the Father – ignited by the Holy Spirit – is passed on to us in the Eucharist.
I tell you most solemnly, says Jesus, anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood...has eternal life. It really is...a matter of life or death.
