19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
The central theme of the readings for our liturgy these days is ‘The Bread of Life.” The first reading (1Kings 19:4-8) narrates an interesting tale from the life of Elijah. He was on a forty year journey towards mount Horeb. On the way, however, he lost hope, spirit and energy. Totally frustrated and exhausted from the burden of life, he slept under a tree praying for his death. An Angel appeared from heaven with food and drink. He ate the food, received power and continued his journey.
Two things are significant here. First of all, forty years of journey in this particular context symbolizes a person’s span of life. In those days there were no medical facilities as we have today to extent and expand their life span. Even though some may claim today that they can live the full span of their life with the support of science, the truth is the opposite. Without God’s help we are just dust. Secondly, even though Elijah could continue his journey with the bread from an Angel, he still could not reach the destination, the Mountain of God. The bread was still made of material things. This ‘food and drink’, however, foreshadow the Eucharist.
It is important to notice two things here. First of all, our life does not end with death. Secondly, because our earthly life is a destination in itself we need bread that sustains our life after death. In the Gospel reading, Jesus introduces himself as this bread. Jesus says, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I give is my flesh for the life of the world.” (John 6: 41-51)
Bread of Life has two levels of meaning in the Bible. First, bread of life is the Word of God. The Hebrew Bible used the word food for Torah, the Law. (Ps 119) Jesus also used the word bread, with the same meaning when he said, “My food is to do the will of the One who sent me and to carry out his work.” (John 4.34) With his incarnation, the Torah (the food) became Flesh in the person of Jesus, so that every word that came out of his mouth became bread for Salvation. The way of Jesus became the True path (food) for eternal life.
Secondly, not only his words but with His sacrifice on the cross, his body and blood, the acceptable offering of God, became our bread of life. Today we find this bread in the Eucharist. In the breaking and sharing of bread we receive enlightenment, nourishment and hope as experienced by the Emmaus Disciples.
The breaking of the Word and the breaking of the Bread, together constitute the Bread of Life. The word of God enlightens us to see the things above and the Eucharist grafts us to God like a branch of a tree attached to the main trunk. The immediate effect of this relatedness with Jesus is the New Way of life as mentioned in the Second Reading. Live in love as Christ loved us. (Ephesians 4:30-5:2).
The central theme of the readings for our liturgy these days is ‘The Bread of Life.” The first reading (1Kings 19:4-8) narrates an interesting tale from the life of Elijah. He was on a forty year journey towards mount Horeb. On the way, however, he lost hope, spirit and energy. Totally frustrated and exhausted from the burden of life, he slept under a tree praying for his death. An Angel appeared from heaven with food and drink. He ate the food, received power and continued his journey.
Two things are significant here. First of all, forty years of journey in this particular context symbolizes a person’s span of life. In those days there were no medical facilities as we have today to extent and expand their life span. Even though some may claim today that they can live the full span of their life with the support of science, the truth is the opposite. Without God’s help we are just dust. Secondly, even though Elijah could continue his journey with the bread from an Angel, he still could not reach the destination, the Mountain of God. The bread was still made of material things. This ‘food and drink’, however, foreshadow the Eucharist.
It is important to notice two things here. First of all, our life does not end with death. Secondly, because our earthly life is a destination in itself we need bread that sustains our life after death. In the Gospel reading, Jesus introduces himself as this bread. Jesus says, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I give is my flesh for the life of the world.” (John 6: 41-51)
Bread of Life has two levels of meaning in the Bible. First, bread of life is the Word of God. The Hebrew Bible used the word food for Torah, the Law. (Ps 119) Jesus also used the word bread, with the same meaning when he said, “My food is to do the will of the One who sent me and to carry out his work.” (John 4.34) With his incarnation, the Torah (the food) became Flesh in the person of Jesus, so that every word that came out of his mouth became bread for Salvation. The way of Jesus became the True path (food) for eternal life.
Secondly, not only his words but with His sacrifice on the cross, his body and blood, the acceptable offering of God, became our bread of life. Today we find this bread in the Eucharist. In the breaking and sharing of bread we receive enlightenment, nourishment and hope as experienced by the Emmaus Disciples.
The breaking of the Word and the breaking of the Bread, together constitute the Bread of Life. The word of God enlightens us to see the things above and the Eucharist grafts us to God like a branch of a tree attached to the main trunk. The immediate effect of this relatedness with Jesus is the New Way of life as mentioned in the Second Reading. Live in love as Christ loved us. (Ephesians 4:30-5:2).
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