Homily — 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Fr. Timothy W. Castor

Year B of the three year cycle of readings is the year of Saint Mark. Accordingly, during the Sundays of Ordinary Time this past year we have been hearing a more or less continuous reading of Saint Mark’s Gospel. This was interrupted last week when, during the 17^th through 21^st Sundays of Ordinary Time, the Church gives us the sixth chapter of John for our Gospel readings on Sunday. This chapter is extremely important because it contains St. John’s teaching on the Most Holy Eucharist. You see, the other evangelists—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—tell us the story of the Last Supper, when Jesus instituted the sacrifice of his Body and Blood in the Holy Mass. But Saint John doesn’t tell us that story. Instead, he draws from another incident in our Lord’s life—a particular teaching he once gave in the synagogue at Capernaum. This teaching has come to be called, "the Bread of Life Discourse," and it is recorded in this sixth chapter of his Gospel. The chapter begins, however (as we heard last week), with the miracle of the feeding of the 5000. This is the "set up", so to speak. It provides the background—the context—in which our Blessed Lord teaches the people about the sacrificial meal he is to establish in the Holy Eucharist.

Today’s Gospel begins where last week’s left off. The great multitude of people have been fed and are satisfied; and, as is often the case where a good meal is involved, they are entirely delighted with their host. In fact, they want to make Jesus their king. Why? Anyone who can provide food like that for so many people ought to be a political leader—think of all the social problems he could solve! But Jesus slips away before the throng is able to have its way with him. When the crowd finally catches up to him (in the fishing village of Capernaum, probably near the synagogue), they demand more: "Show us more signs! More miracles! Give us more food!"

Our Lord is not about to give in to their idle demands. Instead, he rebukes them: "You are looking for me... because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you." This isn’t the response they wanted to hear. But the people are pleased with Jesus just now, and so they’re receptive to his teaching. So they ask him, "What can we do to accomplish the works of God?" Jesus has them right where he wants them. They truly want to know the will of God; they really want to do it. And this is what we want too, isn’t it? Of course it is; so listen closely to what Jesus says. His words to the people in the synagogue at Capernaum are meant for us as well. "This is the work of God," our blessed Lord tells us, "that you believe in the one he sent."

Jesus is about to begin his discourse on the bread of life—the most profound teaching of everything he has ever taught. And he prepares his hearers with one word: "Believe!" You must believe in me, he tells them. You must have faith, because what I am about to tell you is going to require a lot of faith. What I am going to say beggars the imagination. It is beyond ordinary human belief; it defies reason. In fact, many of you today and throughout the centuries to come will stop following me precisely because of what I’m about to say. So believe in me! Trust in my word! Open your hearts! Because I am going to open for you the most profound mystery of God’s grace—a mystery which will bring you life and holiness—a mystery which will enable you to live forever.

"I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst." Thus our Gospel today ends—and thus begins our Lord’s discourse on the Bread of Life. In the weeks to come, we will hear this discourse unfold as Jesus teaches the people about the Most Holy Eucharist—that in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the bread and wine are miraculously transformed in their substance to become really and truly the living Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. The bread and the wine cease to be, only their appearances remaining, and what lies before us on the altar—what is given to us as our food and drink—is Jesus Christ himself, our Lord and our God. It is an amazing truth, but it is true! And so, what Jesus says to the people in Capernaum, he says to each one of us: "believe in me!"

After they left Egypt, the people of Israel began to lose their faith, and they complained bitterly against Moses for having brought them out into the desert to starve to death. Despite their doubts and complaints, God was gracious to them and bolstered their faith by giving them the miracle of manna—bread from heaven, suited to every taste, which fed the vast throng of people for forty years as they wandered in the wilderness. An even greater miracle is given to us as we wander through the wilderness of this life toward our promised land of eternal happiness in heaven. Not merely the bread of angels, but God himself is given to us as our food. We cannot perceive this with our senses—it is only with the eyes of faith that we can see Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrifice of the altar. There are many today who have lost their faith, or who simply cannot believe that this ancient teaching can be true. But it is our Lord’s own words which ratify it: "believe in the one God has sent. My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. I am the bread of life." This was his message 2000 years ago—this is his message today. Believe and you will live.

© 2003, The Rev. Timothy W. Castor