Gospel Reflections for August 23rd 2015
Jesus has a tough week
Today is the final week where Jesus teaches a large crowd about the Eucharist, and some find His message hard to accept. But, notice what the crowd does at the end of His speech …and what Jesus does not do in response.
Like presidential candidates discover today, voters like to “shout out” their opinions during their speeches. They want to hear the truth and not just slogans that are politically correct. The crowd in front Our Lord does this too. After all, the Eucharist is not an easy event to understand. How bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Our Lord is a mystery that can take some time to comprehend.
Some Christians today think that Jesus must have been speaking metaphorically or symbolically, and that he certainly wasn’t being literal about bread and wine becoming His real Body and Blood. It would certainly be easier to think it was symbolic, and that Jesus could not possibly have meant that the Eucharist is some kind of objective real presence.
But look what actually happens in the Gospel. After Jesus speaks about half the crowd begins to walk away. But would they leave if they felt Jesus was only speaking symbolically? After all, a symbol is easy to accept. Who would have a hard time with that? Clearly, they accurately recognized that Jesus meant the Eucharist was His real presence, and so some walk away.
But notice what Jesus does not do next. He does not run after the crowd yelling, “Wait! Come back! …It’s only a symbol!” He does not do that because He clearly means it is not just a symbol or metaphor. He clearly means that we actually receive Him in an objective and tangible way in the Eucharist. The crowd may or may not change their mind but Jesus will not change the meaning of the Eucharist just to make it more politically correct.
The crowd that remains believes Jesus means what He says and that He will not back down just because it is hard for others to believe.
A presidential campaign is about each of us making a decision for or against a candidate. Some candidates tailor their message depending on political winds and focus groups. Jesus will not do that. He knows who He is and what He is about and He will not change. His message is for our lasting happiness here and for life eternal, and He invites us to follow Him.
He has my vote!
Fr. Dave
Your reflections do a great job of simplifying the Bible teachings.
Thank you so much.
Lee & Helen Taft
You are welcome!
The real thing is unmistakable. We have issues in the governance of our Country, which some candidates want to redefine in more pleasant terms, like “illegal should not be defined as illegal–we need to change our thinking so that sometime illegal means legal”. It seems to me that this is much like the thinking that the Eucharist is not exactly what the Bible says it is.
But when someone like Jesus comes along and emphatically states the truth. some believe. In the case of our Country, many people are willing to support the truth
Although we believe that Jesus was clear about the Eucharist, and the Church certainly is as well, nevertheless, belief still requires faith, and that is hard for some people. I never give anyone a hard time for not believing if they have sincerely tried, and just cannot come around to it. We can only present the teachings of Jesus and the Church and then step back and let the Holy Spirit do the rest.
Father Dave
A very appropriate topic for the political campaigning in our country now. It is fascinating how one plain speaking candidate like Mr. Trump can capture our attention. People believe he is speaking the truth and that he cares about the issues we are dealing with in the United States.
Like you said, Jesus spoke the truth!!He did not waiver with the political climate at that time.
That it was why he was a powerful spiritual and historical figure.
Yes, for 2000 years Jesus remains the most compelling historical person of all.
Jesus spoke the truth with love, dignity, respect, caring!! He gave us himself in the Holy Eucharist so that we could become one with him, live his life, forgive and bring everyone we touch to a life of giving, compassionate love, and our gift someday is Heaven with our Jesus and our Mary and our God!!!!! As Father Dave believes and we so beautifully do toooooooooooo!!! Follow Jesus, become one with him in the Holy Eucharist and live his life and let’s bring ourselves, our family, our friends and everyone to a Heaven filled with LOVE!!!!! And let’s make our America a land of love, a pro life America, a Christian America, an America that loves our God and lives in Love whatever our beliefs maybe!!!! An America that appreciates God’s gift of life to all!!!
Amen to life filled with love! But I think that “whatever our beliefs maybe” is rather important. Where are we if we believe in untruth rather than truth?
God bless,
Wes
I agree with you Wes! We must believe in truth!! I was referring in the phrase “whatever our beliefs may be” to our Religious beliefs, “that we live in love if we are Catholic, Christian, Jewish and so on!!! and make the world a more beautiful place!!
Love, Franca
Yes, I agree. “Relativism” is a new philosophy that holds that all beliefs have the same value, yet, I am sure most would hold there is a wide variance between Islam and radical Islamic extremism. Beliefs matter.
Yes, that is the beautiful mission we have received from the Lord, to bring His love to everyone.
I wholeheartedly agree that we need Jesus in the White House!
He has my vote!
Thanks again Fr. Dave for emphasizing the importance of the greatest gift that Jesus
has given us –Himself in the Eucharist.
At the Last Supper when He said “This is My Body, This is My Blood” It was all for us,
freely given and freely received.
In the political arena our politicians and lawmakers need to have their moral compasses
adjusted and ask themselves the question.
What would Jesus do and say if He were running for President?
I would hope that more and more of the candidates would do just that!
Fr Dave – once again, very insightful and timely!
I’ve heard that only about 1 of every 3 Catholics who regularly attend Sunday mass actually believe that the Eucharist is His real presence. How sad! If Catholics just believed and voted accordingly, there are enough of us to elect whatever God-fearing leaders we want and that would save the country!
I actually think the number is higher for those who believe, although they might not be able to put their belief in formal theological language. However, I have often found that the people at mass become more silent and quiet during thee words of the consecration. They may not be able to describe it well, but they know something important and objective is happening. I think that the experience they have at that moment is more important than the ability to describe it to someone else afterwards.
Dearest Father Dave:
We have one of our most beautiful priests here with Father Abebe that that you instituted many years ago. God Bless you for giving us him at this most critical time.
Your encouragement with the messages you send help us through the time toughs times of our life.
Your message is always inspiring, but as we all are, aware, without our Faith and our beliefs in the Eucharist, we would have nothing.
Thank you Father Dave – You are truly missed and we pray for you everyday.
Blessings
Verna
I am especially glad that Fr. Abebe was finally able to return to St. Paschal’s. He is one of the finest priests I know.
A very important lesson and reminder, Fr. Dave. Perhaps the misunderstanding of some Catholics that Jesus is not symbolized in, but truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, is a teaching issue. Are our priests. deacons and catechists reminding us of the reference the Eucharist should be shown during the consecration? I am very pleased that we have returned to the practice of ringing bells during the elevation of the Blessed Sacrament as a reminder to all that this truly is the body and blood of Christ. I think all those who do believe in the True Presence should be role models for others in our behavior during the Consecration and during Communion-sometimes faith follows the behavior.
Well said. I have actually heard that ore and more churches are returning to the use of the bells as a special indicator of reverence and respect. I was glad to hear that.
Wow!! I never thought of it that way…..that they were leaving because they couldn’t accept the “actual”, let alone anything “symbolic”. Thanks for your continual insight. I learn something new all the time, from your message.
You are welcome. I think it is interesting that we can both learn a lot from Jesus does not do, as well as what He does in the Gospels.
Great analogy. There is nothing wishy washy about his response to those who didn’t and still don’t get it. I am involved in several Facebook trying to explain this whole concept to people and because they don’t get it they throw out straw men arguments.
Yes, I agree. Straw man arguments are the tactics of a kind of lazy thinking.
Fr Jim Clarke wa s our celebrant at SJB yesterday. And this was the question he asked us to consider:
What is my god, other than Jesus?
Money or possession or education …
Do we hold Jesus first and foremost or our degree from SC or our job position? What is our identity other than Carholuc Christian.
All good questions!