20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year II, August 20, 2006

Scripture: Proverbs 9:1-6; Psalm 34; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58.

During five consecutive Sundays we are presented with readings from the Gospel of John, chapter six. This is the chapter in which the theme of the Eucharist develops in order to help us appreciate this gift of Jesus to us. John, of course, has no Last Supper theme on the Bread of Life, but all of chapter six is dedicated to his theology of the Eucharist for the Johannine community. I look at today's selection as the highpoint of Jesus' teaching about his body and blood as the Bread of Life for us. The pericope (selected passage) is very realistic and difficult for Jesus' apostles and listeners; this happens to many Catholics today who are not well versed in Eucharistic theology nor are familiar with the theology of John. But this section is very Catholic! It presents such problems for some interpreters that even they as contemporary Christians say it is not an authentic part of John but an ecclesiastical interpolation into the Gospel! We are back to the audience of Jesus with such an interpretation on their part! The chapter does echo the logion about the Eucharist found in Paul's letter to the Corinthians (see I Cor.chapter 11:24). There should be little doubt that it intends to connect the Eucharist with the redemptive death of Jesus and that it is part of our understanding of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

In John's Gospel there is a blending of Wisdom revelation and teaching with the Eucharist with that of the Exodus theme of the Bread of Life, the Manna (Jesus) come down from Heaven. And our readings from Proverbs and Ephesians also have wisdom thought within them that helps us to reflect on the act of Thanksgiving called the Eucharist. Wisdom is a gift of the Holy Spirit given to us at Baptism and it is a gift which helps us to deepend our faith in the reality of the Eucharist. In Proverbs we hear, " Come, eat my foodk, and drink of the wine...Forsake foolishness that you may live." Jesus,too, as Wisdom Word tells us, "I am the Bread of Life; whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal life."

Psalm 34 is a Wisdom Psalm and it too speaks of nourishment from the Lord. "Taste and see the goodness of the Lord." The early Church used this Psalm and verse in preparation for receiving Communion. Transformation and inculturation are part of the mystery of revelation seen in this Psalm 34. It is seen as originating in Egyptian wisdom sayings and has been composed as a Psalm with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet for each verse.

Ephesians speaks of giving thanks to the Lord and almost sounds like what is going on within the celebration of the Mass: "...filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks (EUHARISTOUNTES PANTOTE) to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ." Amen.