Fr. Manuel João, comboni missionary
Sunday Reflection
from the womb of my whale, ALS
Our cross is the pulpit of the Word
Rise, Eat, and Walk!
Year B – Ordinary Time – 19th Sunday
John 6:41-51: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven.”
We are on the third Sunday of the reading of the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John, focusing on Jesus’ discourse on the bread of life, following the multiplication of the loaves. After speaking of the mysterious bread given by the Father, Jesus now reveals that this bread is himself. Perhaps we find it somewhat challenging to follow the reflection that Saint John places in Jesus’ mouth. This is not a linear narrative like the other evangelists provide. It may seem that the evangelist is repeating the same things. In reality, John progresses in a spiral, revisiting concepts and ideas to deepen the discourse. In this “spiral progression,” we can observe three changes in today’s passage.
1. Change of Interlocutors
Last Sunday, it was the CROWD that conversed with Jesus about the sign of the Bread. Despite the difficulty of moving beyond their interest in material bread, the people showed some openness to dialogue with Jesus, asking for explanations and formulating a prayer in their own way: “Lord, give us this bread always,” to which Jesus responded, “I am the bread of life!”
MURMURERS. Today, it is no longer the crowd but the JEWS who engage with Jesus. Who are these “Jews,” considering we are in Capernaum, Galilee, and these people know Jesus’ origins? In his Gospel, John uses the term “Jews” not to refer to the inhabitants of Judea, but to Jesus’ opponents, particularly the religious leaders, those who reject his message and will eventually condemn him to death. These “Jews” do not dialogue with Jesus but murmur among themselves against him. The evangelist introduces here the theme of the murmuring of the people of Israel in the desert, against God and Moses.
John invites us to reflect on the “Jews” within the Church community (and within ourselves) who, from a closed attitude towards the Word, move on to murmuring, which is a veiled justification of their own “cardiosclerosis.” If the murmuring of gossip is harmful, spiritual murmuring is far more dangerous, as it leads to closing oneself off in one’s own thoughts and mindset, impermeable to any newness. Unfortunately, these “murmurers” are abundant and very active in the Church today. Before judging others, however, let us try to root out the “murmurer” within each of us!
2. The Origin of Jesus
A new topic of discussion is introduced by the Jews: the origins of Jesus. “The Jews began to murmur against Jesus because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ They said, ‘Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? How then can he say, “I have come down from heaven”?’” For them, “the bread that came down from heaven” is the Torah, given by God through Moses. They cannot conceive that the Word could “become flesh” in a man, in “Jesus, son of Joseph.” How is this possible? they ask among themselves. We are faced with the mystery of the Incarnation, which is the “Gospel” of the Christian, but has always been a stumbling block for the “religious” person and a scandal for the “religions of the Book,” Jews and Muslims alike.
HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? To this question from the Jews of yesterday and today, Jesus responds in a way that surprises us: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them.” But then, is faith in Jesus purely a matter of grace, given to some and denied to others? It cannot be so, because “God does not show favoritism” (Acts 10:34). Grace is offered to all but must be humbly requested and received. It is a gift, not something we can achieve on our own.
This question, “How is this possible?” is a frequent expression of surprise and wonder, but also doubt and disbelief. Even in the realm of faith, we ask this question regarding events that seem to challenge the presence of God in our lives and in our world. Jesus tells us, “Do not murmur among yourselves,” but he does not prevent us from asking questions and seeking explanations. A faith that does not question can easily become a fundamentalism that leads to a siege mentality and a persecution complex. A healthy questioning (we are not talking about systematic doubt born of distrust) puts us in dialogue with everyone, as fellow travellers with every man and woman. But how do we reconcile this with faith? The Virgin Mary, with her question to the angel, “How can this be?” shows us that this question is legitimate if it is asked to make our “yes,” our “fiat,” more conscious. It is possible to “doubt in full certainty” (Cristina Simonelli).
3. Eating the Bread, Eating His Flesh
Up until now, Jesus has limited himself to speaking of himself as the bread that came down from heaven. Now he introduces the verb “to eat”: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, they will live forever, and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world” (v. 51). This verse, which will be revisited next Sunday, finally introduces us to the discourse on the Eucharist. Eating the bread, which is his person, his word, and his flesh, becomes the condition for having eternal life within us.
RISE, EAT, AND WALK! The first reading and the Gospel revolve around “eating” and invite us to reflect on what nourishes our life. Three types of bread are mentioned: the bread of manna that nourishes for a day, the bread of Elijah that nourishes for forty days, and the bread that is Jesus, which nourishes forever. The first reading (1 Kings 19:4-8), which tells of the crisis of the prophet Elijah, persecuted to death by Queen Jezebel, is extraordinarily beautiful. On one hand, it shows the weakness of the great prophet who had challenged 400 prophets of Baal alone, a weakness that makes him similar and close to us. On the other hand, it shows the tenderness of God who does not reproach his prophet but sends his angel, twice, to refresh him and set him back on the path towards Mount Sinai, where the Lord awaits him. This is our God, who draws near to each of us in moments of trial, crisis, and discouragement to revive us: “Get up, eat, for the journey is too much for you!”
P. Manuel João Pereira Correia, mccj
Verona, 8 August 2024
