August 16, 2009   Cycle B

Proverbs 9:1-6       Ephesians 5:15-20        John 6:51-58

I begin with a light story that touches on our theme today.

This 85-year-old couple, having been married almost 60 years, had died in a car crash.   They had been in good health for the last ten years, mainly due to their interest in healthful food and exercise.

When they reached the Pearly Gates, St. Peter took them to their mansion, which was decked out with a beautiful kitchen, a master bath suite and a Jacuzzi.   As they "ooohed and aaahed,” the old man asked Peter how much all this was going to cost.

"It's free," Peter replied, "this is Heaven."

Next they went to see the championship golf course that their heavenly home backed up to.  St. Peter told them hey would have golfing privileges everyday.

The old man asked, "What are the green fees?"

Peter's reply, "This is heaven, you play for free."

Next they went to the clubhouse and saw a lavish buffet laid out for them.

"How much does it cost to eat?" asked the old man.

"Don't you understand yet?   This is heaven, it is free!" Peter replied.

"Well, where are the low fat and low cholesterol foods?" the old man asked timidly.   "That's the best part...you can eat as much as you like of whatever you like and you never get fat and you never get sick.   This is Heaven."

The old man looked angrily at his wife and said, "You and your bran muffins!   I could have been here ten years ago!”

As we have noted these past few Sundays, we have heard a lot about food.  We have been reading Chapter 6 of the Gospel of John, and in it Jesus calls Himself “the Bread of Life.”  In rather graphic images Jesus invites His hearers to “eat His flesh and drink His blood.”  For the first Christians, Jesus’ words evoked the Eucharistic Supper and that they gather together on the very first day of the week.  In calling Himself “Bread” and inviting us to feast on His own “Body and Blood,” Jesus reminds us that it is His Spirit of compassion, His reflection of the Father’s love, His Gospel of justice and peace, that should nourish and sustain us.

We are sustained at the Eucharist in order to live complete and purposeful lives to awaken our senses and focus our consciousness on seeking God and discovering His presence in our daily lives.  The following story of a young boy invites us to reflect on God’s generosity and our gift of the Eucharist.

Way back in 1848 the Irish famine was in full devastation upon the land.  Many families decided to immigrate to America.  The story was recorded of a poor Irish family who found themselves on the lowest and most crowded deck of their ship.  Their father warned all of the children to keep to themselves.  Food was doled out of their closely guarded hoard, but their six-year-old son, an explorer type, was a constant worry for the parents.  For only a few days out from the port of their arrival the boy begged his dad for a few pennies from which to buy some more food.  In response to his mother’s pleading the boy was given two precious pennies and he went off.

After an hour the frantic parents went looking for their son.  They found him in a large dining room eating everything in sight.  His dad seized him angrily yelling at him that they could never pay for all of this food.  But the young child looked up and said with his mouth full, “Dad, you don’t understand.  The food’s free, it all comes with the price of the ticket!” 

If only the family had reached out to others and had not been so self-contained and protective of their own small resources, they might have known this.  Their young son helped them to be open to possibilities.

We teach that baptism is our “ticket” that gives us entry into the Body of Christ where the food is free and the sharing so lavish that there are always leftovers.  Three weeks ago when we read St. John’s Gospel we recall the story about the five thousand fed on the hillside with twelve baskets left over.  The teaching here is that all is paid for by the life and love, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In inviting us to the Holy Eucharist Jesus invites us to a deeper union with Him.  We are open to accept this invitation by our presence today.  Hopefully we can extend it to others and to those we encounter during the coming week.  God is truly life giving!!

Amen.  Amen.    Msgr. Tom, Pastor Christ the King