Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 119
Lectionary: 119
Wisdom has built her house,
she has set up her seven columns;
she has dressed her meat, mixed her wine,
yes, she has spread her table.
She has sent out her maidens; she calls
from the heights out over the city:
"Let whoever is simple turn in here;
To the one who lacks understanding, she says,
Come, eat of my food,
and drink of the wine I have mixed!
Forsake foolishness that you may live;
advance in the way of understanding."
she has set up her seven columns;
she has dressed her meat, mixed her wine,
yes, she has spread her table.
She has sent out her maidens; she calls
from the heights out over the city:
"Let whoever is simple turn in here;
To the one who lacks understanding, she says,
Come, eat of my food,
and drink of the wine I have mixed!
Forsake foolishness that you may live;
advance in the way of understanding."
Responsorial
PsalmPS 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
R. (9a) Taste
and see the goodness of the Lord.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Reading 2EPH 5:15-20
Brothers and sisters:
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.
And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery,
but be filled with the Spirit,
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts,
giving thanks always and for everything
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
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.
And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery,
but be filled with the Spirit,
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts,
giving thanks always and for everything
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
AlleluiaJN 6:56
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
remains in me and I in him, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
remains in me and I in him, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 6:51-58
Jesus said to the crowds:
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my flesh for the life of the world."
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
"How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
Jesus said to them,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
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.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me
will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever."
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my flesh for the life of the world."
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
"How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
Jesus said to them,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
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.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me
will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever."
Meditation: "He who eats this bread will live
forever"
Why did Jesus offer himself as "food and drink"?
The Jews were scandalized and the disciples were divided when Jesus said "unless
you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you." What
a hard saying, unless you understand who Jesus is and why he calls himself
the bread of life. The miracle of the multiplication of the loaves
(John 6:3-13), when Jesus said the blessing, broke and distributed the loaves
through his disciples to feed the multitude, is a sign that prefigured the
superabundance of the unique bread of the Eucharist, or Lord's Supper. The
Gospel of John has no account of the Last Supper meal (just the foot washing
ceremony and Jesus' farewell discourse). Instead, John quotes extensively from
Jesus' teaching on the bread of life.
In the Old Covenant bread and wine were offered in a
thanksgiving sacrifice as a sign of grateful acknowledgment to the Creator as
the giver and sustainer of life. Melchizedek, who was both a priest and king
(Genesis 14:18; Hebrews 7:1-4), offered a sacrifice of bread and wine. His
offering prefigured the offering made by Jesus, our high priest and king
(Hebrews 7:26; 9:11; 10:12). The remembrance of the manna in the wilderness
recalled to the people of Israel that they live - not by earthly bread alone -
but by the bread of the Word of God (Deuteronomy 8:3).
Jesus made himself a perfect offering and sacrifice to
God on our behalf
At the last supper when Jesus blessed the cup of wine, he gave it to his disciples saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:28). Jesus was pointing to the sacrifice he was about to make on the cross, when he would shed his blood for us - thus pouring himself out and giving himself to us - as an atoning sacrifice for our sins and the sins of the world. His death on the cross fulfilled the sacrifice of the paschal (passover) lamb whose blood spared the Israelites from death in Egypt.
At the last supper when Jesus blessed the cup of wine, he gave it to his disciples saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:28). Jesus was pointing to the sacrifice he was about to make on the cross, when he would shed his blood for us - thus pouring himself out and giving himself to us - as an atoning sacrifice for our sins and the sins of the world. His death on the cross fulfilled the sacrifice of the paschal (passover) lamb whose blood spared the Israelites from death in Egypt.
Paul the Apostle tells us that "Christ, our
paschal lamb, has been sacrificed" (1 Corinthians 5:7). Paul echoes the
words of John the Baptist who called Jesus the "Lamb of God who takes
away the sins of the world" (John 1:29). Jesus made
himself an offering and sacrifice, a gift that was truly pleasing to the
Father. He "offered himself without blemish to God" (Hebrews
9:14) and "gave himself as a sacrifice to God" (Ephesians
5:2).
The Lord Jesus sustains us with the life-giving bread
of heaven
Jesus chose the time of the Jewish Feast of Passover to fulfill what he had announced at Capernaum - giving his disciples his body and his blood as the true bread of heaven. Jesus' passing over to his Father by his death and resurrection - the new passover - is anticipated in the Last Supper and celebrated in the Eucharist or Lord's Supper, which fulfills the Jewish Passover and anticipates the final Passover of the church in the glory of God's kingdom. When the Lord Jesus commands his disciples to eat his flesh and drink his blood, he invites us to take his life into the very center of our being. That life which he offers is the very life of God himself. Do you hunger for the bread of life?
Jesus chose the time of the Jewish Feast of Passover to fulfill what he had announced at Capernaum - giving his disciples his body and his blood as the true bread of heaven. Jesus' passing over to his Father by his death and resurrection - the new passover - is anticipated in the Last Supper and celebrated in the Eucharist or Lord's Supper, which fulfills the Jewish Passover and anticipates the final Passover of the church in the glory of God's kingdom. When the Lord Jesus commands his disciples to eat his flesh and drink his blood, he invites us to take his life into the very center of our being. That life which he offers is the very life of God himself. Do you hunger for the bread of life?
"Lord Jesus, you nourish and sustain us with your
very own presence and life-giving word. You are the bread of life - the
heavenly food that sustains us now and that produces everlasting life within
us. May I always hunger for you and be satisfied in you alone."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Abiding in Christ, by Augustine of
Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
" Jesus recommended to us His Body and Blood in
bread and wine, elements that are reduced into one out of many constituents.
What is meant by eating that food and taking that drink is this: to remain in
Christ and have Him remaining in us." (excerpt
from Sermon on John 26,112)
20th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle B
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Proverbs 9:1-6
Proverbs is the oldest of the Old Testament books which are classified as Wisdom literature. Although the entire book is attributed to Solomon (Proverbs 1:1), the book is actually a collection and was probably formed from the days of Solomon to the time of Alexander the Great. The book gets its name from the Hebrew word masl which means provocative saying. In the early stages, these sayings were short in form; later on they tended to take the form of a parable or allegory, or reasoned discourse. Being short and pithy, it was easier for people to remember them and this meant they were very useful in oral teaching; in fact, parents used them for teaching their children (Proverbs 1:8; 4:1; 31:1). The book of Proverbs divides into 8 parts, the first forming an introduction. Today’s reading comes from this introductory part which has been called “The Initiation To Wisdom”.
9:1 Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven columns;
Seven is the number representing covenant. There is no archaeological evidence to support the suggestion that seven columns surrounded the inner court of Palestinian houses at this time.
2 She has dressed her meat, mixed her wine, yes, she has spread her table.
Spices were mixed with wine to increase the flavor. Meat and wine are festive foods, bread and water the food of folly.
3 She has sent out her maidens; she calls from the heights out over the city: 4 “Let whoever is simple turn in here;
Those for whom the book is intended are the simple (Proverbs 1:4).
to him who lacks understanding, I say, 5 Come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! 6 Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.
The Israelite would think of the promised banquet at the end times (Isaiah 25:6; 55:1-5). The Christian might think of the parable of the wedding feast (Matthew 22:1-14), and the messianic banquet at which Christ serves (Luke 12:37; Matthew 8:11). The Eucharist is itself a participation in the Heavenly Passover meal which we join at the third cup and look forward to the fourth cup in the Kingdom of God.
2nd Reading - Ephesians 5:15-20
For the past three weeks we have been exploring St. Paul’s moral section in his Letter to the Ephesians; the section which discusses New Life In Christ And In The Church. So far we have looked at the Call to Unity, Interior Renewal, and Christian Virtues. This week we learn of the Chaste Life Of The Children Of God. Being a Christian also involves being chaste (not celibate, but morally pure in thought) and walking by the light of Christ, which we received at baptism, and being full of the Holy Spirit.
15 Watch carefully then how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, 16 making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil.
See 1 Peter 5:8-9.
“When Paul says ‘the days are evil’ he does not mean that they are created evil or that they are by their very nature evil. Rather he says this of the troubling events that occur in time. We are in the habit of saying, ‘I have had a terrible day.’ But that does not imply that the day of itself is intrinsically terrible. Rather it refers to what has occurred in the day. Some of the things that occur in it are good, as they are enabled by God. Some are bad, because they are brought about by evil willing. Therefore it is we humans who are the authors of the evils that occur in time. Only on this basis are the times called evil” [Saint John Chrysostom (A.D. 392-397), Homilies On The Epistle To The Ephesians, 18,5,15-17].
17 Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord.
The will of the Lord is God’s will. The new life one receives in Baptism is characterized by a wisdom which contrasts with the foolishness of those who are bent on turning their backs on God (see 1 Corinthians 1:18-19; Isaiah 29:14). This wisdom, this sanity, stems from one’s knowledge of the will of God and full identification with His plans. When a person’s life is coherent with his faith, true wisdom is the result; and this immediately leads him to “make the most of the opportunity” (“redeem the time” in the King James Version). In fact, we have to make up for lost time. The Greek word translated as opportunity (or time), kairos, refers to the content of the point in time in which we find ourselves, the situation which it creates, and the opportunities which that very moment offers regarding the ultimate purpose of this life. “Making the most of” doesn’t mean “not wasting a minute”, it means “using every situation and every moment” to give glory to God.
18 And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery,
“It is good conduct that strikes fear in the wrongdoer. Only one who is sober is prepared to counsel another realistically and with confidence. The person being counseled feels less resentment when he knows how good is the actual conduct of the one who admonishes him. But where there is intoxication there is also debauchery, and debauchery causes base deeds. Therefore it is our duty to be sober, so that the requirements of good conduct maybe observed” [The Ambrosiaster (A.D. 366-384), Commentaries on Thirteen Pauline Epistles, Ephesians 5,18].
In a pagan environment, so easily found then and now, one often meets people who think that happiness and joy can be attained solely in material things. Saint Paul identifies the source of true happiness – letting the Holy Spirit take over your soul.
but be filled with the Spirit,
“One drunk with wine sways and stumbles. But one who is filled with the Spirit has solid footing in Christ. This is a fine drunkenness, which produces even greater sobriety of mind” [Saint Ambrose of Milan (A.D. 390-391), The Sacraments, 5,3,17].
19 addressing one another (in) psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts,
Because man is made up of body and soul, proper worship of God needs external expression (Acts 16:25; Colossians 3:16; James 5:13).
20 giving thanks always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
“Everything that happens in life falls within the providence of God. He permits us to experience sorrows and joys, successes and failures. If a Christian acts in line with his faith, everything is success, even things which may be negative and the night that brings rest. ... For the rains ... Finally, we are thankful that we are born, that we have being, that our wants are sufficiently taken care of in the world ... In this way we give thanks when we are grateful for the benefits that come to us from God” [Saint Jerome (A.D. 436), Commentaries On The Epistle To The Ephesians, 3,5,20].
Gospel - John 6:51-58
Last week we got to the point in our looking at John’s description of Jesus’ bread of life discourse where the Eucharistic theme had been reached “the bread I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world” – the mystery has been revealed. This is the point at which we start today.
[Jesus said to the crowds:] 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
This is the third time (verses 35 and 48) that He identifies Himself as the Bread of Life. In Hebrew numerology the number three represents completeness. Jesus does not attempt to soften or alter His teaching. It is the literal meaning, not a figurative or metaphorical one, that He is trying to drive home.
whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”
The Eucharistic theme has been reached; the mystery has been revealed (see also Hebrews 10:5-10).
52 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?”
Many of the hearers have understood perfectly well what Jesus is saying and that He means exactly what He says, but they can’t believe that what He says could be true. How can He give them His flesh to eat? Is He going to start carving up His arm? Others may have been confused by a Semitic figure of speech where to “eat someone’s flesh” was to slander him (Psalm 27:2) (this is where we get the term “backbite”). If they had understood Him in a metaphorical, figurative or symbolic sense, there would have been no reason for them to quarrel. Just as Nicodemus thought of being born again in the purely physical sense (John 3:4), and the woman at the well thought only of natural water (John 4:11), so now the Jews understand the reference to His flesh literally.
53 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
We normally end our prayers with “amen” but Jesus begins His statement in this manner. Amen means “truly”, “so be it”, “I do believe”. The doubled amen is a solemn affirmation, an oath. When swearing an oath, the response was “amen.” The faithful and true witness is Christ, the Amen (Revelation 3:14). Since two witnesses are required to sentence someone to death (Deuteronomy 17:6), Jesus is bearing the part of both witnesses and alerting them that what he is going to say has life and death consequences. This is the fourth time He has reminded them that this is a life and death situation.
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man
Recall that Son of Man is a term which Jesus applies to Himself, the New Adam (Daniel 7:13), the one who will effect the resurrection (Ezekiel 37). Jesus’ words do not encourage any figurative understanding of His pronouncement, they only underscore the literal meaning.
and drink his blood,
If the idea of eating someone’s flesh is repugnant, what about drinking their blood? To the Jewish audience this would be even more repulsive. Blood was a forbidden food under the Law (Leviticus 7:27; 17:10-14), the penalty for which was to be expelled from the tribe; they would be excommunicated. “Flesh and blood” is a common Old Testament expression for life. When the two are separated, death results. By taking both, they must be partaking of a living being.
you do not have life within you.
Are dead, have no spirit.
54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
He reiterates the bothersome statement without correcting it.
has eternal life,
A guarantee of life everlasting. If He had been speaking symbolically, He would have been commanding them to slander Him or suffer the pain of eternal damnation.
and I will raise him on the last day.
A pledge which only God can make
55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
If there had been any questions before, there is now no question at all that He is speaking quite literally.
56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
In the first two instances (verses 53 and 54) where Jesus has talked of eating His flesh, the Greek word used for “eat” is phago which is a nice dainty word for eat; but from verse 56 on, the Greek word recorded is trogo which literally means “munch, chew, gnaw.” So, what we have here is Jesus saying “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life ... my flesh is real food, and my blood is true drink ... whoever gnaws and chews on what is truly my flesh and drinks what is truly my blood remains in me and I in him.”
remains in me and I in him.
This is covenant imagery. The term “remains in me” (abides in me) denotes marital unity; whoever does this remains part of His family. When people are bound by a common covenant, they are part of the same family (the two shall become one). A person may be cast out of the tribe for drinking blood, but in doing so in this case they are made a member of the Body of Christ; an even bigger and more important family. By eating His body and drinking His blood, they are partaking in the family meal which binds them together. John 15:4 utilizes this same covenant imagery.
57 Just as the living Father sent me
What kind of life does the Father have? A spiritual and immortal one; God is not mortal.
and I have life because of the Father,
The Father and Son are one (John 14:10-11; 5:21-24); they share a life with the Holy Spirit (John 1:32; 15:26). They are a common union (communion).
so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
Will share His eternal life. The Christian shares a communion with Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16). How is this communion shared with Christ and the Christian community? The same way every family shares communion; by sharing a common meal – the Eucharist. This is the fourth time, in four verses, that Jesus has said they must eat His Flesh and drink His Blood. The number four in Hebrew numerology stands for the world in its entirety (four winds, four cardinal points of the compass). The Eucharist is God’s gift to the whole world. With this rapid four-fold repetition, it’s almost like Jesus is saying “what part of ‘eat’ and ‘drink’ don’t you understand?”. God is not stupid; when hearers misunderstand Jesus, He corrects their misunderstanding immediately (see John 3:3-6 for example, where Jesus corrects Nicodemus’ understanding of “born again” and explains that it is not a physical rebirth but a spiritual rebirth through baptism). Here, no correction is made because no misunderstanding exists.
58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”
This is the third time in this discourse (verses 31-32 and 49) that Jesus compares the true Bread of Life, His own Body, with the manna God used to feed the Israelites every day during their forty years of wandering. That bread was only a faint type of the Eucharist, the sacrament of life. It sustained them for 40 years, this will sustain them through eternity.
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Proverbs 9:1-6
Proverbs is the oldest of the Old Testament books which are classified as Wisdom literature. Although the entire book is attributed to Solomon (Proverbs 1:1), the book is actually a collection and was probably formed from the days of Solomon to the time of Alexander the Great. The book gets its name from the Hebrew word masl which means provocative saying. In the early stages, these sayings were short in form; later on they tended to take the form of a parable or allegory, or reasoned discourse. Being short and pithy, it was easier for people to remember them and this meant they were very useful in oral teaching; in fact, parents used them for teaching their children (Proverbs 1:8; 4:1; 31:1). The book of Proverbs divides into 8 parts, the first forming an introduction. Today’s reading comes from this introductory part which has been called “The Initiation To Wisdom”.
9:1 Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven columns;
Seven is the number representing covenant. There is no archaeological evidence to support the suggestion that seven columns surrounded the inner court of Palestinian houses at this time.
2 She has dressed her meat, mixed her wine, yes, she has spread her table.
Spices were mixed with wine to increase the flavor. Meat and wine are festive foods, bread and water the food of folly.
3 She has sent out her maidens; she calls from the heights out over the city: 4 “Let whoever is simple turn in here;
Those for whom the book is intended are the simple (Proverbs 1:4).
to him who lacks understanding, I say, 5 Come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! 6 Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.
The Israelite would think of the promised banquet at the end times (Isaiah 25:6; 55:1-5). The Christian might think of the parable of the wedding feast (Matthew 22:1-14), and the messianic banquet at which Christ serves (Luke 12:37; Matthew 8:11). The Eucharist is itself a participation in the Heavenly Passover meal which we join at the third cup and look forward to the fourth cup in the Kingdom of God.
2nd Reading - Ephesians 5:15-20
For the past three weeks we have been exploring St. Paul’s moral section in his Letter to the Ephesians; the section which discusses New Life In Christ And In The Church. So far we have looked at the Call to Unity, Interior Renewal, and Christian Virtues. This week we learn of the Chaste Life Of The Children Of God. Being a Christian also involves being chaste (not celibate, but morally pure in thought) and walking by the light of Christ, which we received at baptism, and being full of the Holy Spirit.
15 Watch carefully then how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, 16 making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil.
See 1 Peter 5:8-9.
“When Paul says ‘the days are evil’ he does not mean that they are created evil or that they are by their very nature evil. Rather he says this of the troubling events that occur in time. We are in the habit of saying, ‘I have had a terrible day.’ But that does not imply that the day of itself is intrinsically terrible. Rather it refers to what has occurred in the day. Some of the things that occur in it are good, as they are enabled by God. Some are bad, because they are brought about by evil willing. Therefore it is we humans who are the authors of the evils that occur in time. Only on this basis are the times called evil” [Saint John Chrysostom (A.D. 392-397), Homilies On The Epistle To The Ephesians, 18,5,15-17].
17 Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord.
The will of the Lord is God’s will. The new life one receives in Baptism is characterized by a wisdom which contrasts with the foolishness of those who are bent on turning their backs on God (see 1 Corinthians 1:18-19; Isaiah 29:14). This wisdom, this sanity, stems from one’s knowledge of the will of God and full identification with His plans. When a person’s life is coherent with his faith, true wisdom is the result; and this immediately leads him to “make the most of the opportunity” (“redeem the time” in the King James Version). In fact, we have to make up for lost time. The Greek word translated as opportunity (or time), kairos, refers to the content of the point in time in which we find ourselves, the situation which it creates, and the opportunities which that very moment offers regarding the ultimate purpose of this life. “Making the most of” doesn’t mean “not wasting a minute”, it means “using every situation and every moment” to give glory to God.
18 And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery,
“It is good conduct that strikes fear in the wrongdoer. Only one who is sober is prepared to counsel another realistically and with confidence. The person being counseled feels less resentment when he knows how good is the actual conduct of the one who admonishes him. But where there is intoxication there is also debauchery, and debauchery causes base deeds. Therefore it is our duty to be sober, so that the requirements of good conduct maybe observed” [The Ambrosiaster (A.D. 366-384), Commentaries on Thirteen Pauline Epistles, Ephesians 5,18].
In a pagan environment, so easily found then and now, one often meets people who think that happiness and joy can be attained solely in material things. Saint Paul identifies the source of true happiness – letting the Holy Spirit take over your soul.
but be filled with the Spirit,
“One drunk with wine sways and stumbles. But one who is filled with the Spirit has solid footing in Christ. This is a fine drunkenness, which produces even greater sobriety of mind” [Saint Ambrose of Milan (A.D. 390-391), The Sacraments, 5,3,17].
19 addressing one another (in) psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts,
Because man is made up of body and soul, proper worship of God needs external expression (Acts 16:25; Colossians 3:16; James 5:13).
20 giving thanks always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
“Everything that happens in life falls within the providence of God. He permits us to experience sorrows and joys, successes and failures. If a Christian acts in line with his faith, everything is success, even things which may be negative and the night that brings rest. ... For the rains ... Finally, we are thankful that we are born, that we have being, that our wants are sufficiently taken care of in the world ... In this way we give thanks when we are grateful for the benefits that come to us from God” [Saint Jerome (A.D. 436), Commentaries On The Epistle To The Ephesians, 3,5,20].
Gospel - John 6:51-58
Last week we got to the point in our looking at John’s description of Jesus’ bread of life discourse where the Eucharistic theme had been reached “the bread I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world” – the mystery has been revealed. This is the point at which we start today.
[Jesus said to the crowds:] 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
This is the third time (verses 35 and 48) that He identifies Himself as the Bread of Life. In Hebrew numerology the number three represents completeness. Jesus does not attempt to soften or alter His teaching. It is the literal meaning, not a figurative or metaphorical one, that He is trying to drive home.
whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”
The Eucharistic theme has been reached; the mystery has been revealed (see also Hebrews 10:5-10).
52 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?”
Many of the hearers have understood perfectly well what Jesus is saying and that He means exactly what He says, but they can’t believe that what He says could be true. How can He give them His flesh to eat? Is He going to start carving up His arm? Others may have been confused by a Semitic figure of speech where to “eat someone’s flesh” was to slander him (Psalm 27:2) (this is where we get the term “backbite”). If they had understood Him in a metaphorical, figurative or symbolic sense, there would have been no reason for them to quarrel. Just as Nicodemus thought of being born again in the purely physical sense (John 3:4), and the woman at the well thought only of natural water (John 4:11), so now the Jews understand the reference to His flesh literally.
53 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
We normally end our prayers with “amen” but Jesus begins His statement in this manner. Amen means “truly”, “so be it”, “I do believe”. The doubled amen is a solemn affirmation, an oath. When swearing an oath, the response was “amen.” The faithful and true witness is Christ, the Amen (Revelation 3:14). Since two witnesses are required to sentence someone to death (Deuteronomy 17:6), Jesus is bearing the part of both witnesses and alerting them that what he is going to say has life and death consequences. This is the fourth time He has reminded them that this is a life and death situation.
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man
Recall that Son of Man is a term which Jesus applies to Himself, the New Adam (Daniel 7:13), the one who will effect the resurrection (Ezekiel 37). Jesus’ words do not encourage any figurative understanding of His pronouncement, they only underscore the literal meaning.
and drink his blood,
If the idea of eating someone’s flesh is repugnant, what about drinking their blood? To the Jewish audience this would be even more repulsive. Blood was a forbidden food under the Law (Leviticus 7:27; 17:10-14), the penalty for which was to be expelled from the tribe; they would be excommunicated. “Flesh and blood” is a common Old Testament expression for life. When the two are separated, death results. By taking both, they must be partaking of a living being.
you do not have life within you.
Are dead, have no spirit.
54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
He reiterates the bothersome statement without correcting it.
has eternal life,
A guarantee of life everlasting. If He had been speaking symbolically, He would have been commanding them to slander Him or suffer the pain of eternal damnation.
and I will raise him on the last day.
A pledge which only God can make
55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
If there had been any questions before, there is now no question at all that He is speaking quite literally.
56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
In the first two instances (verses 53 and 54) where Jesus has talked of eating His flesh, the Greek word used for “eat” is phago which is a nice dainty word for eat; but from verse 56 on, the Greek word recorded is trogo which literally means “munch, chew, gnaw.” So, what we have here is Jesus saying “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life ... my flesh is real food, and my blood is true drink ... whoever gnaws and chews on what is truly my flesh and drinks what is truly my blood remains in me and I in him.”
remains in me and I in him.
This is covenant imagery. The term “remains in me” (abides in me) denotes marital unity; whoever does this remains part of His family. When people are bound by a common covenant, they are part of the same family (the two shall become one). A person may be cast out of the tribe for drinking blood, but in doing so in this case they are made a member of the Body of Christ; an even bigger and more important family. By eating His body and drinking His blood, they are partaking in the family meal which binds them together. John 15:4 utilizes this same covenant imagery.
57 Just as the living Father sent me
What kind of life does the Father have? A spiritual and immortal one; God is not mortal.
and I have life because of the Father,
The Father and Son are one (John 14:10-11; 5:21-24); they share a life with the Holy Spirit (John 1:32; 15:26). They are a common union (communion).
so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
Will share His eternal life. The Christian shares a communion with Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16). How is this communion shared with Christ and the Christian community? The same way every family shares communion; by sharing a common meal – the Eucharist. This is the fourth time, in four verses, that Jesus has said they must eat His Flesh and drink His Blood. The number four in Hebrew numerology stands for the world in its entirety (four winds, four cardinal points of the compass). The Eucharist is God’s gift to the whole world. With this rapid four-fold repetition, it’s almost like Jesus is saying “what part of ‘eat’ and ‘drink’ don’t you understand?”. God is not stupid; when hearers misunderstand Jesus, He corrects their misunderstanding immediately (see John 3:3-6 for example, where Jesus corrects Nicodemus’ understanding of “born again” and explains that it is not a physical rebirth but a spiritual rebirth through baptism). Here, no correction is made because no misunderstanding exists.
58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”
This is the third time in this discourse (verses 31-32 and 49) that Jesus compares the true Bread of Life, His own Body, with the manna God used to feed the Israelites every day during their forty years of wandering. That bread was only a faint type of the Eucharist, the sacrament of life. It sustained them for 40 years, this will sustain them through eternity.
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church,
Picayune, MS http://www.scborromeo.org
TWENTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19. JOHN 6:51-58
(Proverbs 9:1-6; Psalm 34; Ephesians 5:15-20)
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19. JOHN 6:51-58
(Proverbs 9:1-6; Psalm 34; Ephesians 5:15-20)
KEY VERSE: "Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day" (v.54).
TO KNOW: Jesus is both word and sacrament. In the sixth chapter of John's Gospel, there are two important elements in Jesus' pronouncement that he was the "bread of life" (v.35). In John 6:35-50, the "bread of life" is a figure of God's revelation in Jesus ̶ the "word made flesh" (1:14). Beginning in verse 51, the sacramental theme comes to the fore. Just as God fed the Israelites with heavenly manna on their wilderness journey in the Exodus (Ex 16:4), Jesus nourished the faithful with his own body and blood on their spiritual journey. Jesus plainly said that his flesh was "true food" and his blood was "true drink" (v.55). The reality of these words was emphasized by the Greek word for eating (trogos) that meant to "gnaw" or to "munch." Ordinary bread sustained human life, but "heavenly bread" enabled those who ate it to receive divine life. In the Eucharist we are spiritually transformed by Christ's body and blood so that we can worthily enter God's eternal reign.
TO LOVE: In what ways am I Christ's presence to those I meet today?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to appreciate your presence in the Eucharist.
Sunday 19 August
2018
Week IV Psalter. 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Proverbs 9:1-6. Psalm 33(34):2-3, 10-15. Ephesians 5:15-20. John 6:51-58.
Taste and see the goodness of the Lord—Psalm 33(34):2-3, 10-15.
‘Sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs among yourselves.’
To many of his disciples, the statement of Jesus that they were
to eat his flesh seemed intolerable. In their perplexity they asked how it was
to be possible. Jesus simply reaffirmed that he is the living bread come down
from heaven, and that those who eat of it will live forever.
The poor, for whom the provision of daily bread for their family
is a constant struggle, would have understood better than most of us.
Then Jesus advanced a step further, to say that we who eat this
bread have eternal life already. Perhaps the reason why Jesus did not answer
the question is that he is himself the explanation.
Saint John Eudes
Saint of the Day for August 19
(November 14, 1601 – August 19, 1680)
 |
| Stained glass window in Saint-Pierre de Dourdain | photo by GO69 |
Saint John Eudes’ Story
How little we know where God’s grace will lead. Born on a farm
in northern France, John died at 79 in the next “county” or department. In that
time, he was a religious, a parish missionary, founder of two religious
communities, and a great promoter of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
John joined the religious community of the Oratorians and was
ordained a priest at 24. During severe plagues in 1627 and 1631, he volunteered
to care for the stricken in his own diocese. Lest he infect his fellow
religious, during the plague he lived in a huge cask in the middle of a field.
At age 32, John became a parish missionary. His gifts as a
preacher and confessor won him great popularity. He preached over 100 parish
missions, some lasting from several weeks to several months.
In his concern with the spiritual improvement of the clergy,
John realized that the greatest need was for seminaries. He had permission from
his general superior, the bishop, and even Cardinal Richelieu to begin this
work, but the succeeding general superior disapproved. After prayer and
counsel, John decided it was best to leave the religious community.
That same year John founded a new community, ultimately called
the Eudists—the Congregation of Jesus and Mary–devoted to the formation of the
clergy by conducting diocesan seminaries. The new venture, while approved by
individual bishops, met with immediate opposition, especially from Jansenists
and some of his former associates. John founded several seminaries in Normandy,
but was unable to get approval from Rome—partly, it was said, because he did
not use the most tactful approach.
In his parish mission work, John was disturbed by the sad
condition of prostitutes who sought to escape their miserable life. Temporary
shelters were found, but arrangements were not satisfactory. A certain
Madeleine Lamy, who had cared for several of the women, one day said to him,
“Where are you off to now? To some church, I suppose, where you’ll gaze at the
images and think yourself pious. And all the time what is really wanted of you
is a decent house for these poor creatures.” The words, and the laughter of
those present, struck deeply within him. The result was another new religious
community, called the Sisters of Charity of the Refuge.
John Eudes is probably best known for the central theme of his
writings: Jesus as the source of holiness; Mary as the model of the Christian
life. His devotion to the Sacred Heart and to the Immaculate Heart led Pope
Pius XI to declare him the father of the liturgical cult of the Hearts of Jesus
and Mary.
Reflection
Holiness is the wholehearted openness to the love of God. It is
visibly expressed in many ways, but the variety of expression has one common
quality: concern for the needs of others. In John’s case, those who were in
need were plague-stricken people, ordinary parishioners, those preparing for
the priesthood, prostitutes, and all Christians called to imitate the love of
Jesus and his mother.
LECTIO: 20TH SUNDAY OF
ORDINARY TIME (B)
Lectio Divina:
Sunday, August 19, 2018
Jesus, the bread of life
John 6:51-58
John 6:51-58
Let us invoke the presence of God
Shaddai, God of the mountain,
You who make of our fragile life
the rock of your dwelling place,
lead our mind
to strike the rock of the desert,
so that water may gush to quench our thirst.
May the poverty of our feelings
cover us as with a mantle in the darkness of the night
and may it open our heart to hear the echo of silence
until the dawn,
wrapping us with the light of the new morning,
may bring us,
with the spent embers of the fire of the shepherds of the Absolute
who have kept vigil for us close to the divine Master,
the flavour of the holy memory.
You who make of our fragile life
the rock of your dwelling place,
lead our mind
to strike the rock of the desert,
so that water may gush to quench our thirst.
May the poverty of our feelings
cover us as with a mantle in the darkness of the night
and may it open our heart to hear the echo of silence
until the dawn,
wrapping us with the light of the new morning,
may bring us,
with the spent embers of the fire of the shepherds of the Absolute
who have kept vigil for us close to the divine Master,
the flavour of the holy memory.
1. LECTIO
a) The text:
51 I am the living bread which has
come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever; and the
bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world.' 52 Then the
Jews started arguing among themselves, 'How can this man give us his flesh to
eat?' 53 Jesus replied to them: In all truth I tell you, if you do not eat the
flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Anyone
who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise
that person up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is
real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live
in that person. 57 As the living Father sent me and I draw life from the
Father, so whoever eats me will also draw life from me. 58 This is the bread
which has come down from heaven; it is not like the bread our ancestors ate:
they are dead, but anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.
b) A moment of silence:
Let us allow the voice of the Word to resonate within us.
2. MEDITATIO
Let us allow the voice of the Word to resonate within us.
2. MEDITATIO
a) Some questions:
-
I am the bread of life… Jesus, flesh and blood, bread and wine. These words
work a change on the altar, as Augustine says: «If you take away the words, all
you have is bread and wine; add the words and it becomes something else. This
something else is the body and blood of Christ. Take the words away, all you
have is bread and wine; add the words and they become sacrament». How important
is the word of God for me? If the word is pronounced over my flesh can it make
me become bread for the world?
b) Let us enter into the text:
v. 51. ”I am the living bread which has come down from heaven.
Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever and the bread that I shall give
is my flesh, for the life of the world”. John’s Gospel does
not recount the institution of the Eucharist, but rather the meaning it assumes
in the life of the Christian community. The symbolism of the washing of the
feet and the new commandment (Jn 13:1-35) point to the bread broken and the
wine poured. The theological content is the same as that in the synoptic
Gospels. John’s ritual tradition can, however, be found in the “eucharistic discourse” that
follows the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves (Jn 6:26-65). This text
brings to light the deep meaning of Christ’s existence given for the world, a
gift that is the source of life and that leads to a deep communion in the new
commandment of membership. The reference to the ancient miracle of the manna
explains the paschal symbolism where the idea of death is taken up and overcome
by life: «Your fathers ate
manna in the desert and they are dead; but this is the bread which comes down
from heaven, so that a person may eat it and not die» (Jn
6:49-50). The bread of
heaven (cfr Es 16; Jn 6:31-32) figuratively or in reality is
not meant so much for the individual as for the community of believers, even
though everyone is called to partake personally of the food given for all.
Anyone who eats the living bread will not die: the food of the revelation is
the place where life never ends. From the bread, John goes on to use another
expression to point to the body: sarx. In
the Bible this word denotes a human person in his or her fragile and weak
reality before God, and in John it denotes the human reality of the divine Word
made man (Jn 1:14a): the bread is identified with the very flesh of Jesus. Here
it is not a question of metaphorical bread, that is of the revelation of Christ
in the world, but of the eucharistic bread. While revelation, that is the bread of life identified
with the person of Jesus (Jn 6:35), is the gift of the Father (the verb to give is used in the
present, v. 32), the eucharistic bread, that is the body of Jesus will be
offered by him through his death on the cross prefigured in the consecration of
the bread and wine at the supper: «and
the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world» (Jn
6:51).
v. 52. Then the Jews started arguing among themselves, ‘How can
this man give us his flesh to eat?’. Here begins the drama
of a way of thinking that stops at the threshold of the visible and material
and dares not cross the veil of the mystery. This is the scandal of those who
believe without believing… of those who pretend to know but do not know. Flesh
to eat: the celebration of the Passover, the perennial rite that will go on
from generation to generation, a feast for the Lord and a memorial (cfr Es
12:14), whose meaning is Christ. Jesus’ invitation to do what he has done “in
memory” of him, is paralleled in the words of Moses when he prescribes the
paschal anamnesis: “This
day must be commemorated by you, and you must keep it as a feast ” (Ex 12,14). Now,
we know that for the Jews the celebration of the Passover was not just a
remembrance of a past event, but also its ritualisation, in the sense that God
was ready to offer again to his people the salvation needed in new and
different circumstances. Thus the past intruded into the present, leavening by
its saving power. In the same way the eucharistic sacrifice “will be able” to
give to the centuries “flesh
to eat”.
vv. 53. Jesus said: “In all truth I tell you, if you do not eat
the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in
you”. John, like the synoptic Gospels, uses various expressions when
speaking of Christ’s giving of himself in death, not wishing thus to convey a
separation of parts, but the totality of the person given: the spiritualised
corporeity of the risen Christ, fully permeated by the Holy Spirit in the
Paschal event, will become source of life for all believers, especially through
the Eucharist, that unites closely each on of them with the glorified Christ
seated at the right hand of the Father, and making each one partake of his own
divine life. John does not mention bread and wine, but directly what is
signified by them: flesh to eat because Christ is presence that nourishes and
blood to drink – a sacrilegious act for the Jews – because Christ is the
sacrificed lamb. The sacramental liturgical character is here evident: Jesus
insists on the reality of the flesh and of the blood referring to his death,
because in the act of sacrificing the sacrificial victims the flesh became
separated from the blood.
54. Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal
life, and I shall raise that person up on the last day. The
Passover celebrated by Jesus, the Jew, and by the early Christians acquires a
new soul: that of the resurrection of Christ, the final exodus of perfect and
full freedom (Jn 19: 31-37), which in the Eucharist finds the new memorial,
symbol of the Bread of life that sustains during the journey in the desert,
sacrifice and presence that sustains the people of God, the Church, that,
having crossed the waters of regeneration, will not tire of making memory, as
he said, (Lk 22:19; 1Cor 11:24) until the eternal Passover.Attracted and
penetrated by the presence of the Word made flesh, Christians will live their
Pesach throughout history, the passage from the slavery of sin to the freedom
of children of God. In conforming themselves to Christ, they will be able to
proclaim the wonderful works of his admirable light, offering the eucharist of
his corporeity: living sacrifice, holy and pleasing in a spiritual cult (Rom
12:1) that befits the people of his victory, a chosen race, a royal priesthood
(cfr 1Pt 2:9).
vv. 55-56. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in that
person. This promise of the life of Christ influences greatly the life
of believers: «Whoever
eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in that person» (Jn
6:56). The communion of life that Jesus has with the Father is offered to all
who eat the sacrificed body of Christ. This is not to be understood as the
magic concession of a sacramental food that automatically confers eternal life
to those who eat it. This giving of the flesh and blood needs explanation to
make it intelligible and to provide the necessary understanding of God’s
action, it needs faith on the part of those who take part in the eucharistic
banquet, and it needs first God’s action, that of his Spirit, without which
there can be no listening or faith.
v. 57. As the living Father sent me and I draw life from the
Father, so whoever eats me will also draw life from me. The
stress is not placed on the cult as the peak and foundation of love, but on the
unity of the body of Christ living and working within the community. There is
no liturgy without life. «A Eucharist without fraternal love is equal to self
condemnation, because the body of Christ, that is the community, is despised».
Indeed, in the eucharistic liturgy the past, present and future of the history
of salvation find an efficient symbol for the Christian community, which
expresses but never substitutes for the experience of faith that must always be
present in history. Through the inseparable Supper and Cross, the people of God
have come into the ancient promises, the true land across the sea, across the
desert, across the river, a land of the milk and honey, of freedom capable of
obedience. All the great ancient plans find in this hour (cfr Jn 17:1) their
fulfilment; from the promise made to Abraham (Gn 17:1-8) to the Passover of the
Exodus (Ex 12:1-51). This is a decisive moment that gathers the whole past of
the people (cfr DV 4) and the first most noble Eucharist ever celebrated of the
new covenant is offered to the Father: the fruitful fulfilment of all
expectations on the altar of the cross.
v. 58. “This
is the bread which has come down from heaven; it is not like the bread our
ancestors ate: they are dead, but anyone who eats this bread will live for
ever”. When Jesus pronounces the words: «This is my body»,
and, «This is my blood», he establishes a real and objective relationship
between those material elements and the mystery of his death, which finds its
crowning glory in the resurrection. These are creative words of a new situation
with common elements in human experience, words that will always and truly
realise the mysterious presence of the living Christ. The elements chosen were
meant to be and are symbol and instrument at the same time. The element of
bread, which because of its relationship to life has by itself an
eschatological significance (cfr Lk 14:15), is easily seen as an indispensable
food and a universal means of sharing. The element of wine, because of its
natural symbolism, connotes the fullness of life and the expansion of the joy
of a person (cfr Ps 103:15). In the existential Semite view, the effectiveness
of the system of signs is taken for granted. It makes distinctions that make it
possible to comprehend mysteries by faith where the senses fail. By referring
and going back to the desert and the manna, this different “Pasch”, the
material object and the sign come together, but concupiscence, which is from
the flesh, transforms the sign into matter, while the desire, which is from the
spirit, transforms the matter into sign» (P. Beauchamp, L’uno e l’altro testamento,
Paideia Ed., Brescia 1985, p. 54). In fact, the manna from heaven comes from
God in an invisible form and thus lacks identity. This lack of evidence is seen
clearly in the etymology of the word “manna”: «What is it?» (Ex 16:15). This
says what it is, a name given to almost nothing, a sign and not a thing, a
signed sign. It is proven in the moment it disappears, because one is tempted
to remedy that which disappears, to make provision of manna so as not to run short.
This is the price of what disappears to the senses. The alternation is the time
of the desert. The manna is bread that obeys the laws of him who gives it. The
law, that the manna signifies, is to expect everything from him: what is
required is belief. Because of its lack of substance, manna creates the desire
for more solid support; but in the place called “sepulchres of greed” the
thing, deprived of sign, brings death (Nm 11:34). In the desert that which
urges people to go ahead with confidence is this seeing the manna either as a
sign or as a thing in itself and thus either believe or die.
c) Let us meditate:
Jesus
fulfils the true Pesach of human history: «Before the festival of the Passover, Jesus,
knowing that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father, having
loved those who were his in the world, loved them to the end. While they were
at supper…» (Jn
13;,1). To pass over: the new Pasch is precisely this passing over of Christ
from this world to the Father through the blood of his sacrifice. The Eucharist
is the memorial, bread of the desert and saving presence, covenant of fidelity
and communion written in the person of the Word. The history of salvation that
for Israel is made up of events, names and places, leads to a reflection of faith
over an experience of life that makes the name of Yahweh not just one name
among many but the only Name. Everything begins from an encounter, a dialogical
event between God and humanity that translates into a covenant of alliance, old
and new. The sea of rushes is the last frontier of slavery and beyond it lies
the spacious territory of freedom. In this watery sepulchre the old body of
Israel is laid to rest and the new and free Israel rises. This is where
Israel’s identity is born. Every time that this passage through the waters of
birth is evoked more than just as a historical event to be remembered, the
eschatological event will arise, capable of a divine fullness that becomes
present, sacramental sign of God’s faithful initiative today for the new generations,
in expectation of the final liberation that the Lord will provide. It is the
gasp of a people that on the eve of the Pesach finds its deep identity
individually and as a people, the eve when the son of the living God gives
himself wholly in the form of food and drink.
3.
ORATIO
Psalm 116
What
return can I make to Yahweh
for his generosity to me?
I shall take up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of Yahweh.
for his generosity to me?
I shall take up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of Yahweh.
I
shall fulfil my vows to Yahweh,
witnessed by all his people.
Costly in Yahweh's sight
is the death of his faithful.
witnessed by all his people.
Costly in Yahweh's sight
is the death of his faithful.
I
beg you, Yahweh!
I am your servant,
I am your servant
and my mother was your servant;
you have undone my fetters.
I shall offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving
and call on the name of Yahweh.
I am your servant,
I am your servant
and my mother was your servant;
you have undone my fetters.
I shall offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving
and call on the name of Yahweh.
I
shall fulfil my vows to Yahweh,
witnessed by all his people,
in the courts of the house of Yahweh,
in your very heart, Jerusalem.
witnessed by all his people,
in the courts of the house of Yahweh,
in your very heart, Jerusalem.
4.
CONTEMPLATIO
When
we think of you, Lord, we do not recall events that took place and were
fulfilled long ago, but we come into contact with your reality ever present and
alive, we see your constant passage among us. You intervene in our life to
restore our likeness to you, so that we may not be disfigured by the stones of
the law, but may find our fullest expression in your face as Father, revealed
in the face of a man, Jesus, the promise of fidelity and love even unto death.
It is not necessary at all to go out of ordinary existence so as to meet you
because the care you take of your creatures unfolds over our human affairs like
a scroll in the proximity of an experience. You, Creator of heaven and earth,
indeed do hide in the folds of history and, even though at first obscurely and
implicitly, you allow us to meet you in your transcendence, which is never
absent from ordinary events. When our reflection on life brings us to an
acknowledgement of your liberating presence, this meeting can only be
celebrated, sung, expressed by sacred symbols, relived festively in great joy.
Thus we do not come to you alone, but as a people of the covenant. The wonder
of your presence is always purely gratuitous: in the members of the Church,
where two or three are gathered in the name of Jesus (Mt 18:20), in the pages
of Sacred Scripture, in evangelical preaching, in the poor and suffering (Mt
25:40), in the sacramental actions of ordained ministers. But it is in the
eucharistic sacrifice that your presence becomes real; in the Body and Blood
there is the whole of the humanity and divinity of the risen Lord, present
substantially.
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