Homily - 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings: Proverbs 9:1-6; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58

Last week we heard about how the Jews murmured about Jesus saying, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They thought it was impossible for him to have come down from Heaven because they knew him as son of Joseph and Mary.

This week we hear that “The Jews quarreled among themselves,” because Jesus told them that he will give his “flesh for the life of the world.” This didn’t make sense to them. How could he do this? Even if he could, taking at face value, it would sound like cannibalism. 

Jesus goes on to say that we must “drink his blood.” That too would seem repulsive. Speaking in terms of the Jewish law, Deuteronomy 12:23 prohibited the drinking of the blood of the animals. To do so was to take on the life force of the animal. This is exactly why we need to eat Jesus’ flesh and drink his blood but not in the sense that the Jews are thinking. We come to receive the Eucharist to become more like Jesus.

Before we fault the Jews for not getting this, we need to realize that they do not have the perspective that we have. We know what Jesus is talking about to be the Eucharist. The Jews knew nothing of the Eucharist as the bread of life. How could Jesus’ words to eat his flesh and drink his blood make sense to anyone except in the light of the Eucharist? So, some of the people left because they did not understand what Jesus meant.

I think the same is true today. Many of those who leave the Catholic Church do so because they don’t fully understand the mysteries of our faith. There is no clear and factual knowledge of how the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus. There is no change in what we see or the chemical make-up of the bread and wine.

That’s because the change does not happen on a physical level. We are called to believe in the mystery of the Eucharist not because of scientific evidence but because of Jesus’ own words at the Last Supper when he said, “this is my body….this is my blood.”

Next week we will again hear that many of the disciples left because they couldn’t understand. When Jesus asked the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave? Simon Peter answered, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.” Peter didn’t understand but he did believe. We are called to do the same.

The real presence in the Eucharist is both a mystery and a gift. We come into the church from a physical world. In faith we are called to look beyond the physical. We may not understand the Real Presence in human terms. We might even struggle to understand what we hear in the readings at Mass. In order to get the best of what God offers us at Mass, I encourage you to put a little preparation into it. Look at the readings before or after Mass and ask God to help you understand. I encourage you to come early enough for Mass and recollect your thoughts to share in the sacred mysteries. Every time we come here Jesus plainly invites us: “Take this, all of you, and eat it. This is my Body which will be given up for you.” 

I remember during my time at college, we began discussing faith with my friend Chris—who was not Catholic at the time— he asked me: “Do Catholics really believe that the Eucharist is Jesus Christ’s Body and Blood?” I told him that we did.

My friend was skeptical, but not because he had any scriptural or theological quibbles. Instead, he responded: “I want to believe that Jesus Christ is fully present in the Eucharist, but I have many friends who regularly attend mass! Yet I know how many of these people behave outside Mass. I don’t intend to pass judgment on anyone, but it seems hypocritical to say that Jesus Christ is truly with them and not live a life that reflects that.”
 
I often remember this conversation because I couldn’t argue with his logic. It provides a stark reminder that when we receive the Eucharist, we have Christ in us and are called to live accordingly. Therefore, we must recommit ourselves to living a life that reflects the graces we receive through the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Acknowledging Christ’s presence in the Eucharist goes beyond our time at Mass. Christ gave us his Body and Blood so we may become more like him and bring him to our workplaces, schools, and homes. How we live ought to reflect our belief that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist.