20TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B
1st Reading: Proverbs 9: 1-6
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 34: 1-2.9-10.11- 12.13- 14 (R. 1)
2nd Reading: Ephesians 5:15-20
Gospel Reading: John 6:5 1-58
My reflection
Each time I read passages like this in the Bible, I wonder if it was written for Africans especially Nigeria.
Terms like simple, lowly to me always imply humility.
In Nigeria however both the clergy and laity seem to be consumed with pride and ego. Everything is shrouded in the need to maintain order and authority but is it really the case or the inability to stoop low and actually acknowledge weakness.
We would rather show our intellect/intelligence than show love.
Wisdom today asks us all (clergy and laity) to come and dine with her, drink the wine she has prepared.
What food and drink is she referring to? It is love, the same love that Jesus offers the Jews in the Gospel, Jews who have been so abused with oppressive religion that they feel uncomfortable to experience the true love which Jesus offers.
That is why Jesus says: *Come to me all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest*
Let's drop our perceived sense of worth and embrace the love of Jesus.
Eshiebor Asemokhai Simon
How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
Personally, I wouldn't blame the Jews who doubted and got angry with Christ when he made those statements.
Or do we think it's logical or reasonable for a man to say to his fellow men that if they eat his flesh or drink his blood they will have eternal life? Come on, that ordinarily sounds like cannibalism.
History made us know that many early Christians were martyred for this singular belief that they upheld.
Even to this day, except for Catholics, many Christians still do not take Christ literally for his words, many still think he was speaking metaphorically, but Christ meant what he said. He wasn't playing with words, the reason he didn't try to explain or simplify as he did with his parables. In other words, Christ was saying, it is what it is, believe it or not, "na you sabi."
Dear friends, many of us are guilty of unbelief like those Jews. Tell me you have never for once doubted the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist; (except you have truly never for once). Tell me you have never for once questioned the church's teaching on this—maybe before, and not now that you know better. (except you have truly never for once).
Even if we say we believe in the real presence in the Tabernacle, how well have we demonstrated our faith in the belief of this real presence? You go to Mass once every week, and you visit the chapel once a month. If we truly believe and understand this belief, are we not supposed to, like the three apostles who experienced Christ's transfiguration at the Mount, be going to be spending all day in the Tabernacle and even want to build a tent there?
I have to come this way so that we can understand that there is still so much to do with our beliefs; it's not enough to just have it.
Next time when we go to receive Jesus in the Eucharist. Let us go with the belief that it is JESUS we are going to receive, you know why? Because truly it is JESUS.
Pope St. John Paul II once said, "The Eucharist is the secret of my day."
Can we make the Eucharist the secret of our day?
Let us make a visit to the Tabernacle, a frequent routine, if possible daily. Attend Mass frequently, if possible daily
This message is not for you alone, but for me also
Peace
Guard your TONGUE from evil, and your LIPS from speaking deceit. Turn aside from evil and do good. SEEK after peace, and PURSUE it
Those are very clear instructions for us to live a truly Christian life, which is different from the standard of the world. What type of words come out of our mouths? Even in the place of 'jokes', what do we produce from our lips? How are we genuinely striving for peace, even if we are the ones being offended?
#FoodForThought
My Reflection
In the first reading, we see that God has established the seven pillars, representing the seven Sacraments of His Church, and invites us to "Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed." The psalmist asks, "Who is it that desires life and longs to see prosperous days?" and encourages us to "taste and see that the Lord is good."
The food and drink that the Lord invites us to partake in has the power to fill us with life, even eternal life, which the world cannot give. Therefore, as St. Paul advises in the second reading, do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is.
In the Gospel reading, Jesus tells us, "For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." Jesus, who performed many miracles—making the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, cleansing lepers, stopping a hemorrhage, restoring etc
My reflection
From the Gospel reading
He who eat this bread will live forever
Which bread? The bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh [Jesus speaking]. And in the last supper he took bread, broke it and gave it to them saying 'take this all of you and eat for this is my body which will be given up for you. Then the next day 'his body got flogged, pushed, struck, wounded, nailed and hung LIFELESS on the cross''. After three day, that same body was raised to LIFE again carrying on it the same marks and wounds he suffered but this time as a sign of victory and triumph over death. 40 days after, that same body in all its humanity got ascended to the Glory of heaven.
This body of Christ which underwent suffering, death, resurrection and ascension is what we received wholly in the Eucharist. The same body which overcame death, is what we received in the eucharist. This is what Christ meant when he said 'he who eat this bread will live forever'. Since death cannot hold him captive, death cannot hold you too because your life is hidden with Christ in God. When we receive the body of Christ, as Pope Francis put it 'we become what we receive' thus we are called to give and reflect what we have become - the body of Christ. And because he lives we can face tomorrow.
We are called not to be like the crowd who did not believe but disputed among themselves. We are called to approach the Eucharist with firm faith, fervent and devotion because the Eucharist is a foretaste of heaven. We are called like the psalmist to taste and see that the Lord is good!
Aikpokhio Anne
Jesus, the Bread of life
Our Lord Jesus Christ is inviting Us "Come and Eat my Body and Drink my Blood, I will give you Peace and Eternal life". Our Spiritual food ( strength)for our Spiritual Journey of life. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces in high places".
The second reading make Us understand that the days are evil, hence we should not be foolish and get drunk with wine but that we should try and understand what the will of God is.
For Us to understand what the will of God is, is to be filled with the Holy Spirit which is the embodiment of the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the appearances of Bread and Wine in the Holy Eucharist.
Brethren, let Us expose our selves to the prompting of the Holy Spirit by : just as the second reading admonished us: to
addressing one another in Psalms, Hymns, Spiritual Songs, Singing Melody to the Lord with all our heart and always giving thanks to God for everything.
Just as we do in OCCF. A forum where we learned to draw closer to God in prayer, exposes Us to the words of God, to live a humble and simple life, have an insight of our faith and also watch for one another.
May God grant Us all the graces we need to understand His will and to always receive Him in state of grace through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
