PENTECOST 11, B – August 16, 2009

SCRIPTURES – Psalm 111; Proverbs 9:1-10; Eph. 5:6-21; John 6:51-69 

 In my life I have been privileged to be in the presence of and hear a number of scholars. Perhaps the most world renowned scholar I ever heard was Avery Dulles. He came from a very influential family – his father was John Foster Dulles, a U.S. Senator from NY and the Sec. of State under Pres. Eisenhower, and his uncle was the head of the CIA. Avery graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School, and then became a priest and studied at Gregorian U. in Rome. He served on the faculty of Fordham U. for many years, and in 2001 was made a Cardinal in the Catholic Church. He was renowned throughout the world for his scholarship, and I had the privilege of hearing this great scholar speak; but, I have absolutely no recollection of what he said. I can’t even remember what he spoke about.

 There are three other very wise people who I was not only privileged to hear; I even remember what they said. Now, they’ve written no books, earned no advanced degrees, nor been invited to address assemblies of influential people. They are unknown to the world. But, they are three of the wisest people I have ever known.

q   One was an elderly woman whose mind was very confused. I remember one time visiting her and her family, and her only contribution to our conversation was asking every couple of minutes, “Do you want the light on?” After hearing her ask this again and again, her family despaired and wondered whether she knew anything anymore. At that, I help up a crucifix before her and asked, “Who is this?” “That is Jesus Christ,” she promptly replied. “He died for my sins.”

q   I remember one time visiting a young man who is developmentally disabled. On this particular day I went to his home to teach him about Holy Communion. I began by holding up a wafer and asking, “What is this?” “Body of Christ,” he said. Lesson over!

q   Years ago I was greatly privileged to hear a very deep teaching expressed to a group of people very simply: in song. It was at a picnic, and a little girl, who was normally rather shy, began dancing before a group of adults and singing, “Jesus loves me! This I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Perhaps she was one of the young women spoken of in Proverbs 9, sent out by Wisdom to call out,

“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here! Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.”

To know Jesus as your God who became flesh and died for your sins – this is the truest and highest wisdom. To believe that He gives you His flesh and blood in His Word and in His Sacrament, and to gladly receive them – this is not only wisdom; it is life. For, those who in faith eat Christ’s flesh and drink His blood have His life, the eternal life that He shares with His Father, and so are truly alive.

 

God isn’t impressed, you see, by mere professions of faith, nor by knowledge of the Bible, nor with being a good person and helping many people. After all, Bill Gates is a decent person who helps thousands of people, far more than you or I can; but he rejects Christianity. Many university professors know the Bible very well and teach it as great literature, while not believing it to be true. And, Satan himself, the evil one and prince of hell, believes in Jesus.

 

Do you hunger for Christ? He wants to be received. Do you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man? Do you do so because you believe that by doing so you have life with God and eternal life in heaven? Do you do so continually because you must – not that you’re forced to do so, but because, just as you must eat and drink to live in this world, even so the only way to have life with God and eternal life in heaven is through eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Jesus?

 

This is God’s wisdom, a wisdom which is far greater than our wisdom and which is so foreign that it even seems foolishness to us. His wisdom sounds so foolish, not only in the meal He calls us to – we must eat Jesus’ body and drink His blood! – but also in the guests He invites to receive this food. Imagine, for instance, that you are throwing a grand party. You rent a fabulous place for the occasion, and decorate it beautifully. You choose a caterer who is known for his incredible food. You spare no expense. Who do you invite? Why, your family and closest friends, of course, along with other worthy people you know. You don’t print up invitations that are to be handed out to anyone on the street and at the homeless shelter.

 

God does. Proverbs 9 portrays God as a woman who has prepared a great feast and sends out young women to call out:

“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” To him who lacks sense she says, “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.”

How foolish! God only wants the foolish! Jesus also utterly rejects our wisdom and worthiness when says,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

No worldly wisdom can find God and bring Him down to you, or you up to Him. His wisdom it totally other; it is foreign and unrecognizable – foolish even – to us. But, God in His mercy has chosen to come down to you and to offer to you Himself and His life – the life that swallows up all sin and death and will never end. He offers Himself to you in human flesh:

q   the flesh He took upon Himself in the womb of Mary;

q   the flesh that He allowed nails to be driven through and hung high upon a cross, saving you from eternal punishment in hell for your sins by paying for them Himself;

q   the flesh that was laid, lifeless, in a grave;

q   the flesh that His life again filled on the 3^rd day and lives forevermore.

And here, in the wondrous supper of His flesh and blood, He offers Himself to you in flesh that can be eaten and blood that can be drunk.

Many to whom Jesus spoke, people who were followers of His, were offended by what He said. He calls us all to believe what is unbelievable and even offensive. Tell people you are going to church, and few will be bothered. Tell them you are going to church so that you can feed on the flesh of Jesus and drink His blood, and you will probably get a different reaction. But, that is why we are here. It must be why we are here. “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.”

 Embrace this mystery, the mystery of God’s fleshly relationship with you in Christ. The mystery of an eternal union with God, not by knowledge or feeling or emotion, but in the flesh of Jesus – this is what worship in Word and liturgy, in Scripture and Sacrament, is all about. “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on Me, he also will live because of Me.”