There are many ways to feed others…
(08-16-2009)
The reading for this Sunday from the Book of Proverbs is one of the most beautiful invitations for hospitality and welcome of all that reflects God’s great love—without borders.
There are no limits, socio-economic, cultural, racial, gender, and age, to God’s invitation to live life in Him. The Proverbs writer divine inspiration shows God’s Wisdom as “She.”
“‘Let whoever is simple turn in here’ to the one who lacks understanding, she says’ come eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live’; advance in the way of understanding.”
The invitation to seek wisdom is one that calls us to be all that God intends us to be. Wisdom means more than knowledge and understanding; it includes intuition that God has placed in us and to sensitivity of all that surrounds us. Wisdom calls us to see the importance of events, to search and fathom the lessons from God in daily living, to look for the meaning that our lives and that of others hold through the love of God and our faith in Jesus.
Such a call to be present to daily life, our decisions, and the process through which we formulate our choices is also expressed in St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, “Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons, but as wise…giving thanks always and in everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.”
Living a life in the name of Jesus means that we look beyond our individual needs. Faith in Jesus does not begin by assenting to dogma or doctrines. It is not primarily an intellectual exercise. Rather, judging from today’s gospel reading, Jesus invites us, first of all, into a personal relationship with him. "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.”
His life within us demands a personal conviction to live him—the Bread of Life—in all that we do. Living him does not mean that the path will be made easy, but as we know, it will be more peace-filled. For we know that Jesus has shared our life, knows the temptations, trials and tribulations, and he took all those things on to reveal an immense love for us--He will not let go of us.
Once we accept His life in us, receive His strength for our journey, the courage to make right choices, and then the road gets wider as we see clearly what we must do as Christians in the world.
Having such faith we turn to the Lord to be fed and we know that His Eucharist does not make us better than anyone else, but makes us more responsible for everyone else. We are to extend the graces we receive and do the work of the Lord daily—in a covenant of love that has no boundaries.
“The Bread that I give is for the world…”
His Bread of Life is meant to be shared. Look around, for those opportunities to share—whether it is physical food for those in need, spiritual food by our works of mercy, food for thought that calls us to ponder what is going on in our world and how to help make it better, or food for encouragement to those who despair. There are limitless ways we can work to help the Lord feed His Bread of Life. Be wise to the many ways and opportunities that he gives us. Such sharing helps us to become what we receive—the Body of Christ.
Be wise, Fr. Gordon
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