By Maryann Gan (edited by TM):
Observation
The Gospel begins with the murmuring among Jesus’ disciples: “This saying is hard, who can accept it?” Whatever they were murmuring about was enough to provoke some disciples to leaving him. It must be noted that Jesus did not stop those who wanted to leave.
Interpretation
When the disciples say, “this saying is hard,” it does not mean that it is “difficult to understand,” but “difficult to accept.”[1] What was it that was difficult to accept which provoked some disciples to leave Jesus? It is Jesus’ claim of being “the living bread that came down from heaven” (John 6:41).
Jesus’ listeners could not accept the mystery that this “bread from heaven” will be humiliated on the cross. They did not want to be associated with shame and scandal. John therefore addresses the second teaching that is “difficult to accept” during the early Christian times. The first was the theme of last Sunday’s gospel: that Jesus is present in the eucharistic bread and wine. The second is that Jesus came down from heaven, which is to be interpreted as coming from the Father.
A true disciple believes and knows the glory of the risen Christ through eyes of faith. This is the significance of Peter’s words when he says “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We now believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” For John, the words “believe” and “know” are synonymous. To believe is to know, and to really know Jesus is to believe in him.
Generalization
Faith entails accepting even things that are “difficult to accept,” not just those that are convenient to accept. To be a Christian means to believe in Jesus: who he is, and what his entire life stands for: a life of love, forgiveness and complete obedience to the Father. For many, if not all of us, it may be seem “easy” to accept that Jesus is indeed the Son of the Father, and that he is truly present in the Eucharistic bread and wine we receive in the Mass. But being a Christian is more than belief in a doctrine, it is living a life like the life Jesus lived.
Application
There are those whose reasons for joining a church community are temporal. For examples, spiritual excitement during prayer meetings, fellowship which brings temporary relief from a personal problem, or even membership in a community which brings certain honor or social advantages. When prayer did not bring spiritual relief, when the spiritual "high" was gone, when fellowship did not satisfy one's social agenda, when social pressure against fellowship became so great, leaving became a viable and desired option.
But when one joins a community so that he/she can help and be helped by others to live like Jesus lived, then such members remain and are sustained by the community.
1. What are your reasons for joining the Singles Apostolate or a Renewal Community? What are the values of the Apostolate that is difficult for you to accept and make a part of your life?
[1] Nil Guillemette, SJ, Hungry No More, Manila: St. Paul’s Publications, 1989, 104.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
John 6:51-58 Eat my flesh, drink my blood (Gospel for Aug. 20, 2006)
OBSERVATION:
If we were among the audience of Jesus in the gospel, we would wonder whether Jesus, in telling his disciples to “eat his flesh, and drink his blood,” is speaking symbolically or literally. Just observe the many times he repeats the references to his flesh to be eaten and blood to be drank:
- Verse 51 – The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.
- Verse 53 – Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.
- Verse 54 – Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life
- Verse 55 – For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
- Verse 56 – Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me
- Verse 57 – … the one who feeds on me will have life…
Having repeated himself so many times, Jesus insists that indeed what he is saying is to be taken literally.
INTERPRETATION:
Unlike the other three gospels, the gospel of John does not have a Eucharistic meal during the last supper. Instead, John presents the washing of the feet. The gospel for this Sunday is the equivalent of the Eucharistic meal in John’s gospel. John tells us that Jesus did not come simply to satisfy earthly hunger, but to provide life without any kind of hunger. For John, Jesus provides this by feeding his disciples with his Eucharistic flesh and blood.
In Hebrew language, the body/flesh and blood represents the entire person so that the meaning of eating Jesus’ body and blood is to have a personal communion and encounter with Jesus. When we receive Jesus who is present in the Eucharistic host, then we encounter him in a personal way. John says, “we remain or abide in Jesus, and Jesus remains or abide in us.” This is a unique expression found only in John. In a few simple words, John is able to express something unique in the whole of creation, namely, two beings (Jesus and us) achieve the closest possible union without either losing our distinct personality.[1] While remaining human, we become like Jesus, who remains divine.
GENERALIZATION:
During the early Christian communities, there was doubt on the presence of Jesus in the Eucharistic bread and wine. Jesus’ real presence in the bread and wine is not in the physical sense, since the bread and wine maintain their taste, look and other physical similarities. Jesus presence is in his glorified and resurrected body which continues to be with us, and especially in the form of the Eucharistic bread and wine. It takes faith to accept and recognize this, and some of Jesus’ own disciples did not have that faith, and therefore left him.
John’s audience included those who considered Jesus as divine, but that his human body was simply a disguise, then known as the Docetist heretics. Hence, John presents Jesus as insisting that his “flesh is true food and his blood as true drink.” Click here to find out what happens in consecration – how does the bread and wine change into the body and blood of Jesus?
APPLICATION:
Nutritionists say that “we become what we eat.” If we partake of Jesus in holy communion, then we should become who we eat, Jesus.
We recognize the blessed sacrament as the body of Christ. The phrase “body of Christ” was used by St. Paul to also refer to the Christian community. We, flesh and blood members of our church, ARE also the body of Christ. This is why we are in our renewal community, that others may see Christ in us, and would like to become part of us.
- How regular do we receive Holy Communion?
- What changes do we see in ourselves as a result of regular Communion?
- Assess your Class, or Team, or Apostolate. How would you rate it as a "body of Christ?" What can be done to make it more like the "body of Christ?"
[1] Nil Guillmette, SJ, Hungry No More, Manila: St. Paul’s Publications, 1989, 100.
If we were among the audience of Jesus in the gospel, we would wonder whether Jesus, in telling his disciples to “eat his flesh, and drink his blood,” is speaking symbolically or literally. Just observe the many times he repeats the references to his flesh to be eaten and blood to be drank:
- Verse 51 – The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.
- Verse 53 – Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.
- Verse 54 – Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life
- Verse 55 – For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
- Verse 56 – Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me
- Verse 57 – … the one who feeds on me will have life…
Having repeated himself so many times, Jesus insists that indeed what he is saying is to be taken literally.
INTERPRETATION:
Unlike the other three gospels, the gospel of John does not have a Eucharistic meal during the last supper. Instead, John presents the washing of the feet. The gospel for this Sunday is the equivalent of the Eucharistic meal in John’s gospel. John tells us that Jesus did not come simply to satisfy earthly hunger, but to provide life without any kind of hunger. For John, Jesus provides this by feeding his disciples with his Eucharistic flesh and blood.
In Hebrew language, the body/flesh and blood represents the entire person so that the meaning of eating Jesus’ body and blood is to have a personal communion and encounter with Jesus. When we receive Jesus who is present in the Eucharistic host, then we encounter him in a personal way. John says, “we remain or abide in Jesus, and Jesus remains or abide in us.” This is a unique expression found only in John. In a few simple words, John is able to express something unique in the whole of creation, namely, two beings (Jesus and us) achieve the closest possible union without either losing our distinct personality.[1] While remaining human, we become like Jesus, who remains divine.
GENERALIZATION:
During the early Christian communities, there was doubt on the presence of Jesus in the Eucharistic bread and wine. Jesus’ real presence in the bread and wine is not in the physical sense, since the bread and wine maintain their taste, look and other physical similarities. Jesus presence is in his glorified and resurrected body which continues to be with us, and especially in the form of the Eucharistic bread and wine. It takes faith to accept and recognize this, and some of Jesus’ own disciples did not have that faith, and therefore left him.
John’s audience included those who considered Jesus as divine, but that his human body was simply a disguise, then known as the Docetist heretics. Hence, John presents Jesus as insisting that his “flesh is true food and his blood as true drink.” Click here to find out what happens in consecration – how does the bread and wine change into the body and blood of Jesus?
APPLICATION:
Nutritionists say that “we become what we eat.” If we partake of Jesus in holy communion, then we should become who we eat, Jesus.
We recognize the blessed sacrament as the body of Christ. The phrase “body of Christ” was used by St. Paul to also refer to the Christian community. We, flesh and blood members of our church, ARE also the body of Christ. This is why we are in our renewal community, that others may see Christ in us, and would like to become part of us.
- How regular do we receive Holy Communion?
- What changes do we see in ourselves as a result of regular Communion?
- Assess your Class, or Team, or Apostolate. How would you rate it as a "body of Christ?" What can be done to make it more like the "body of Christ?"
[1] Nil Guillmette, SJ, Hungry No More, Manila: St. Paul’s Publications, 1989, 100.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)