Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
We move to the fourth week of our reflection on the ‘bread of life discourse.’ We began with the multiplication of loaves three weeks back and for the last two weeks we have been reflecting on the meaning of “the bread that came down from heaven.’ Today, the emphasis is on the real of presence of Christ in the bread and wine. We must remember that by the time John wrote the gospel, the Eucharist had already been established in the early Christian community. However, there were serious objections to the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The Gnostics, especially, emphasized the indwelling presence of Christ rather than his physical presence. Hence John statement in today’s gospel, “For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.”
Today’s I would like to approach our readings from the perspective of ‘wisdom.’ I am taking the lead from today’s first reading from Proverbs 9:1-6. Wisdom is personified as a feminine figure setting up the space, the table and the food for a feast. She (wisdom) has sent invitation to people to attend the feast. Whoever is simple and wants to increase their understanding is welcome to this feast. My three points are a further reflection on this.
1. Wisdom: God’s way of Being in the World. In general, wisdom is the practical knowledge on how to live well. It is the collective experience of successive generations and a reflection on that experience. This wealth of knowledge and experience is passed on by the sages from one generation to another. In the Hebrew Bible, the source of wisdom is God. More importantly, wisdom is the way God acts in the world. And this is the point I would like to stress. Wisdom tells us how God would act in the world if God was one of us. The fact is that we know how God would act in the world. For Paul and other New Testament writers, Jesus is wisdom of God. Jesus’ words, his life, the way he acted, the way he related to people, his priorities, his faith, is values, his self-sacrifice, his suffering and death all point to God’s wisdom: God’s way of being in the world. The feast to which Wisdom invites us is the Eucharist. The food is real and the presence of Christ in the Eucharist is real. The Eucharist is where we encounter Jesus, the wisdom of God. Those who are simple and humble are invited to this feast. It would be foolish, really, to stay away from this feast.
2. I would like to begin my second practical implication with today’s second reading. Last week we heard Paul say, “So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love.” In today’s reading Paul says to us, “Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord.” The connection of this reading to today’s first reading is so obvious. Paul, invites us to not be foolish but wise. How can we be wise? The answer is - in imitating Christ. If Jesus is the wisdom of God then there is wisdom in trying like Christ. Wise people try to imitate the will of God made known to us in Christ. This means that the reality of the body and blood of Christ is not limited to the Eucharist. Wise people make Christ’s presence real by imitating him. Our parish theme, “Think like Jesus, talk like Jesus and act like Jesus” is a true invitation to live wisely. In this way, we extend the reality of Christ’s presence from the bread and wine to the rest of the world.
3. In my third point, I would like to point to a very special way in which God acts in the world. Most of you know that Pope Francis has declared a Jubilee of Mercy beginning Dec 8, 2015. In preparation for the Jubilee, he released a document entitled, Miserecodiae Vultus. This document begins with the words, “Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy.” In other words, Jesus Christ personified God’s mercy. If wisdom is the knowledge of how God acts in the world, then mercy is God’s way of being in the world. This is self-evident in the gospels.
· As you walked into the church today you noticed the posters on the doors that advertised our parish retreat titled, “Merciful Discipleship.” If you are a registered parishioner here, you also probably got a letter from me inviting you the retreat. Enclosed with that letter is the registration card. I cannot urge any more earnestly to make sure that you can be at this retreat.
· Our theme, “Merciful Discipleship” comes directly from Pope Francis’ declaration of the coming year as a Jubilee of Mercy.
· On September 12 from 9am – 12 pm, we will reflect on what it means to both, accept God’s mercy and to show God’s mercy.
· Our Speaker is Fr. Gregory Heille. The staff and I personally went to St. Louis to meet Fr. Greg Heille, the Dean at the Aquinas Institute of Theology in St Louis. He is a great homilist and a very down to earth speaker. He has written a book “The Preaching of Pope Francis.”
· I have already written the retreat song and we have also composed the parish prayer for the coming year.
· There is no cost to this retreat and lunch and a retreat t-shirt is provided.
· There will be a children segment for ages 3-9. There will also be a Spanish speaking segment to the retreat.
· As with Wisdom and St. Paul’s invitation, I hope you will accept my invitation as well. Please send in your registration forms either through the collection basket or in the mail. Please register by the 6th of Sept because t-shirts have to be ordered and lunch arrangements have to be made.
- Fr. Satish Joseph