Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
After a brief interlude to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption and honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, we return to the final verses of the Bread of Life Discourse in John (Jn. 6:60-69). Coupled with the First Reading from the book of Joshua (Josh. 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b), we find a theme that centers around making choices.
In the portion of Joshua that we read today, the Israelites, under the command of Joshua and with the aid of God, have conquered much of the Promised Land. As they move into the next stage in the history of their nation, Joshua gathers all the people together for a covenant ceremony.
In the longer version of the passage not read today, he reminds the people all that the Lord has done for them. How Moses and Aaron led them from slavery in Egypt and guided them through the wilderness. How the king of Moab tried to destroy them through the seer Balaam, who blessed rather than cursed them. How they safely crossed the Jordan River and defeated the enemies who awaited them. And finally, how God settled them in the land with the blessings of homes and vineyards.
Joshua then gives the people a choice, “Decide today whom you will serve, the gods your fathers served beyond the river or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are now dwelling (Josh. 24:15a).” Joshua himself declares,” As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD” (Josh. 24:15b). After the review of all the miracles that God has done for Israel, they too decide, “We also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.” (Josh. 24:18b). And with this statement Joshua seals the covenant with the Israelites that was established at the time of the Exodus.
When we come to the Gospel for today (Jn. 6:60-69), Jesus is continuing his discussion with the crowd over the announcement he has just made, “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.” (Jn. 6:51).
As before, there are a few more verses from the passages which are not included in the reading which have direct ramifications on the choices made by the people listening. The debate with Jesus and his followers continues: “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.” (Jn. 6:52-54)
Many of the Jews in the crowd refuse to accept what Jesus is saying. He is not speaking symbolically here, as he does in many other places in the Gospels. The Greek word that Jesus uses for flesh, sarx, implies actual physical flesh. What he seems to be implying is nothing less than cannibalism. Something which is obviously forbidden in Jewish law. Also, especially taboo is the consumption of blood. It is an ancient law back from the time of Moses: “You shall not partake of the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood. Anyone who partakes of it shall be cut off.” (Leviticus 17:13-14).
No wonder the crowd is incensed. The man whom they have come to know as a prophet, teacher, and miracle worker seems to be speaking words which are ludicrous. And Jesus knows that they are murmuring amongst themselves. He says, “Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (Jn. 6:61-64).
Of course, these people are confused. They do not understand what Jesus is talking about. They do not have the benefit of the knowledge of those of us who are reading this Gospel. They do not know that he will make the ultimate sacrifice with his flesh and blood on the cross. They do not know that he will rise up, ascend to the Father, and send the Holy Spirit.
They do not know that he will command the disciples at the Last Supper to imitate his motions with the bread and wine and establish one of his greatest miracles of all. It is what we know as “transubstantiation.” The act that the priest performs at every Mass which transforms the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus allowing all who are present to participate in his sacrifice on the cross. That is why “the flesh is of no avail.” Because it is the action of the Spirit which gives us the life of Jesus through the Eucharist.
Jesus knows that his speech will cause a schism among his disciples. And this where we see the different choices being made. First, we are told, “Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him” (Jn. 6:64). Of course, this is a reference to Judas Iscariot who will betray Jesus on the night of the Last Supper. Incidentally, some scholars believe that this teaching of Jesus may have been one of the reasons why Judas made the choice to betray Jesus. He could not accept that the one he thought to be the messiah would disrespect Jewish law so blatantly.
Next, we also hear, “As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him” (Jn. 6:66). Like Judas, many of Jesus’ followers cannot believe or accept what he is saying so they decide to leave him and return to the lives they had before.
But the other eleven closest followers of Jesus make a different choice. When Jesus asks them, “Do you also want to leave?” Simon Peter answers for the group, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.” (Jn. 6:67-68). Somehow Peter and the others have keenly understood that the language Jesus is using is not lawless or offensive. Rather these words can somehow bring eternal life to those who believe because they understand that he is the Holy One of God.
The doctrine of the Real Presence in the Eucharist is a direct result of the teaching of Jesus in his Bread of Life Discourse. This is the belief that during the consecration, the invocation of the Holy Spirit transforms the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. Although the appearance remains the same, the substance is changed in a miraculous way, such that the reception of the Eucharist offers a share in the life of Jesus.
This teaching is unique to the Catholic Church. However, there are some Catholics who know nothing about it. Others do not understand the doctrine or simply refuse to believe it. Some Protestant churches say they believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, but for them it has a different connotation. Some say that Jesus is spiritually present, but the bread and wine remain simply that, bread, and wine. Other denominations consider it to be only a symbol, or a nice remembrance of what Jesus did on his last night.
If you are a Catholic who regularly receives the Eucharist, you also have a choice to make. Do you believe it is the Real Presence of Jesus, the one who came down from heaven to offer eternal life?
