Homily for the week of August 9, 2009

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, B 2009

First Reading: Proverbs 9:1–6

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 34:2–3, 4–5, 6–7

Second Reading: Ephesians 5:15–20

Gospel: John 6: 51–58

Most of you have not seen a broom tree. And if you saw one I doubt if you would plant in your front yard. Yet if you were living with Elijah and Jesus in Palestine you would find many broom trees. The Broom Tree is more a desert shrub than a tree. It has long flexible branches, yellow flowers and forms a bush reaching heights of up to 12 feet. Broom bushes thrive best in poor growing areas and conditions and need little care. People travelling in the desert would set up their tents at night near bloom trees so as to be sheltered from the wind and protection from the scorching sun during the day. This is what Elijah did in our first reading when he was having a bad day and would rather be dead than alive.

Our Bible readings today as they have been for the past two Sundays are about food that keeps us alive. Christ came to offer us a chance to nourish ourselves in a way that will bring satisfaction to our lives. He was talking about spiritual food; the people who listened to him were thinking about physical food. Too many of those with Jesus were simply looking for some nourishment to keep them from being physically hungry.

The Gospel message is too often weakened by trying to make it fit and support our own way of looking at the world. Too seldom do we change our way of thinking and our way of acting to fit the Gospel. This is precisely what we witness in the beginning of our Gospel passage today as those listening to Jesus are being challenged to a new way of life. They were being encouraged to have faith in Jesus. Following Jesus requires not only information but transformation. We need to know certain things about our religion, but we also need to dospecific things to live as a religious person. Today I challenge you to look at your personal religious faith.

Those of you who are builders cannot build unless you have end result in mind. When it comes to forming our Catholic faith, we, too, should begin with the end in mind. So, just what does an adult Catholic supposed to look like? The answer is very simple: we are all to become saints. That means we are invited to be followers of Jesus

Very often I hear Catholics say: "I was raised a Catholic"; or, "I used to be a Catholic"; or, "I come from a Catholic family, and my mom is still a good one." Sometimes they are really saying, "Being a Catholic was a big part of my early years, and I'm glad it was. I thank God that I have a grounding in the Catholic faith, and that it's in my family genes. Unfortunately, I've drifted some, and I don't take it with the seriousness it deserves. Maybe I'll get back..."

And with a smile I will tell them: "Come on back." "We miss you, we need you. The Church is your family, and that means we'll always open up when you come a-knocking." However, realism forces me to admit that, most of the time, those who make such familiar remarks usually do not intend to come back. There are a lot of them these days. Recent studies show that one of the largest groups in American society today identifies itself as "ex-Catholics."

Our faith in Jesus Christ is part of our very birthright, our identity, our spiritual DNA. It's not some childish baggage that is discarded when we become "mature," or "grown-up." There's nothing more "adult," "enlightened" or "freeing" than our Catholic faith.

Ultimately, faith is a gift. This gift is offered to everyone, but too many of us do not cooperate with it. Jesus speaks of the Eucharist as the Bread of Life. We are told that unless we eat it we will not have eternal life. But those are just nice words unless we believe them.

Believing is something we do, not only we our heads, but also with our hearts. To believe is to place our trust in another. Until this happens what we have is not faith, but an idea. An idea becomes faith when it makes the leap from the head to the heart. But faith is not blind. It has to be reasonable. Our Catholic faith is based on the fact that God and Jesus can be trusted. When you receive Holy Communion and I say THE BODY OF CHRIST, and you answerAMEN, that means that you do believe that this host is not just a little baked wheat flour and water, but it is God. That is exactly what Jesus was trying to tell the people today. Living in a consumer society where minute after minute we are told that this particular product will satisfy us, we can be tempted to treat Holy Communion as if it were a product. We expect immediate satisfaction.

But it is more like Jesus embracing us, not only once but for a lifetime and for life after death. And though we sit in different pews our food comes from the same table, and in Holy Communion we are embraced by everyone. Receiving Holy Communion is not a ME AND GODexperience.

Elijah thought that he had made no difference despite all he had done. He did not want to commit suicide, so he prayed that God would let him die. God did not. God feed him under the broom bush.

So it is with each of us. At the very moment we are tempted to throw up our hands in disgust or sulk under our broom tree in self-pity, Jesus comes to us and says, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” When things go well, or when things don't go too well during the days of this week remind yourself that you are never alone.