Brian’s Reflection: The Weekend, Aug 15, 2009

“ … whoever eats me will live because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven,
not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died.
But the one who eats this bread will live forever."

- John 6 (Proper 15 B)
Forever. What an interesting word! Especially in the context of the passage from the Gospel called “John”. Clearly – at least to me – Jesus is not talking about bread in the material sense. He contrasted His “bread” with the manna, which was material. His bread, unlike the manna, eliminates death in some way. Eat His bread and people live “forever”.

I think that “forever” has nothing to do with physical life. Its metaphorical meaning is “fully”, or “completely”. Ten years or a hundred years, feasting on His Bread encapsulates Eternity in a Moment. Every moment – or at least those moments that we reach out and grasp.

When we eat Jesus’ bread, it touches our tongue, merges with our physical “stuff”. But it is but a Sign waking us up to the immaterial Mystery of who we are. We human beings need a lot of reminding; the mystics tell us how much we are “asleep” to deep Reality. Frequent Communion – daily if possible – would be the bare minimum of reminding we need!

Jesus’ bread is the food of Aliveness in the deepest sense. Eat it. “Forever” will become the norm.

Brian+
(from NY)