Gospel Reflection for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

19th August – I am the living Bread

Every so often, when we read or hear pieces of the bible, we find it hard to understand what they mean for us. There is no such confusion or difficulty with the second reading this Sunday. It is taken from St. Pauls Letter to the Ephesians. Paul is trying to encourage and at the same time challenge the people Ephesus as they try to live their daily lives as followers of Jesus. His words and message to them are  as powerful today as when Paul first wrote them. Imagine hearing Paul words personally when he says; ‘Be very careful about the sort of lives you lead…. Do not be thoughtless but recognise what is the will of the Lord. Do not drug yourselves with wine; be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ In a world where we are constantly surrounded by all sorts of advertisements and messages, Pauls words are certainly good news and not fake news! Although they are over two thousands years old, they are as encouraging and as challenging as when Paul first proclaimed them.

If the crowd last week thought that the words of Jesus were too much, wait until their hear

what he say to say to them and us this week! The gospel  begins where last week’s gospel ended; ‘I am the living bread which has  come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this  bread will for ever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh for the life of the  world.’ Jesus then describes the relationship between the Father and himself, and his followers. Jesus has life because of the Father. Those eat the bread that he shall give will live forever; in others words, those who ‘feed’ on Jesus will  have eternal life. He raises the stakes even higher when he says, ‘your ancestors ate the mana in desert (but) they are dead.’ He is claiming to be the living bread which has down from heaven! As he has life because of the Father, the followers of Jesus have life because of him! When he says this, the anger, the complaining and objections start.

In a word, what Jesus is talking about is relationship. When we celebrate the Eucharist and gather around the table of the Lord, we are entering into a sacred, personal and intimate relationship with Jesus himself and each other. As we share in the Bread of Life that is Jesus,  we are also experiencing the love and life of God the Father which he enjoys. Through the Body and Blood of Jesus that we share in, we become the Body of Christ with and for each other.

As Jesus nourishes and strengthen us, we in turn are called to do the same with and for each other. We leave mass with the words; ‘Go now, to love and serve the Lord.’ We do this in countless small ways as we love and serve each other. May Jesus the Bread of Life which has come down from heaven continue to strengthen and nourish us as we try our best to live our daily lives with and for each other as his followers and disciples.

Michael Moore OMI