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St. Elizabeth Seton Virtual Parish

Abstract Surface

Breaking Open Word

Jesus said “I am the living bread that came down from heaven.” This “living bread” parallels the “living water” that Jesus offered the Samaritan woman (John 4:14), both of which He promised would give eternal life.
Notice the Jews grumbled among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” It sure sounds a lot like the Jews in the Sinai desert complaining to Moses about the manna, the bread from heaven, provided daily by God (Num 21:5). Some things will never change. What is interesting is that earlier in this same gospel chapter, Jesus had just fed the same 5000 people bread from 5 loaves, which was a miracle sign of Jesus trying to show He really was from God, just like the manna was from God. Some people today grumble about how we Catholics believe that the Eucharist is actually, really Jesus. There is no room for saying that He was speaking only symbolically, which would mean that Communion was only a metaphor and not really eating and drinking the body and blood of Christ. Every Catholic should be familiar with John chapter 6, the bread of life discourse.

The passage that immediately follows this week’s reading is one of the saddest in the Bible. Jesus wished to give Himself totally, completely to mankind, but was rejected. You can just feel His sadness as God and as a man. “At the result of this (dialog), many of His disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied Him. Jesus then said to the Twelve- ‘Do you also want to leave?’(John 6:66-67)” Yet Simon Peter replied with maybe his greatest answer, even though he didn’t understand the bread of life until the last supper- “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

June 7 - Body and Blood of Christ

The Gospel today brings themes of election, mercy and mission. It begins with Jesus showing his true compassion for the human condition. “They were lost – like sheep without a shepherd”. As in other places (such as the raising of Lazarus in John 11), we get a glimpse here of Jesus’ strong connection with and sympathy for the human condition. This compassion drives mission – the mission of his apostles. This is a crucial moment – Jesus now commissions others to share in his work – to preach, heal and cast out demons. This marks the beginning of apostolic ministry, so crucial in the function of the church through the centuries. Through all of church history, the harvest is always abundant and the laborers are always few. Jesus entrusts his ministry to the apostles, who in turn pass it on to others through apostolic succession. The bishops of the church today serve this apostolic mission in line with the successor to St. Peter.

The instructions Jesus gives to the apostles reveals their true mission – to proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, to heal the sick and drive out demons. It’s revealing to note that true evangelization involves more than just passing on ideas – which is why the Church today continues this mission through preaching, sacramental ministry, works of charity and social justice. In saying that “without cost you have received; without cost you are to give”, Jesus teaches that the Gospel is pure gift which cannot be earned or bought. This gift is meant to be shared with others.

June 14 - 11th Sunday Ordinary Time

This passage is a part of Jesus’ instructions to the apostles as he sent them out on mission. We heard the first part of this instruction last Sunday. As they go out to preach, Jesus urges them not to be afraid. What has been spoken secretly from Jesus to the disciples is now to be proclaimed widely and openly. The second encouragement not to fear uses Greek ideas of body and soul rather than Jewish thought. The enemies of God can only destroy the body, not the soul, the one who can cause the total torment in Gehenna is more powerful. Gehenna was a valley near Jerusalem that had been the site of pagan sacrifice. By Jesus day it was a vast garbage dump. It became synonymous with hell, a place or state of eternal punishment. Jesus also uses an example of two sparrows, who are the cheapest birds in the market, that God protects sparrows and also protects them. The final verses remind the apostles of the eternal consequences of their faithfulness or unfaithfulness to their mission.

June 21 - 12 Sunday Ordinary Time

Jesus presented two themes in today’s gospel: the priority of faith and the virtue of hospitality. The priority of faith demanded radical consequences for early Christians. Since extended, closely-knit families formed the basis of society at the time, a choice for Christ could mean a rejection of the family's faith and values and possible excommunication by the family. Outside of one's extended family, a person could easily slide into homelessness.

Jesus reminded His followers that the Christian life involved such risks (a cross to carry). And one could not compromise these risks away. A believer could not placate his family if the cost threatened faith. No, faith might involve an extreme choice. Either the relationship with family took priority ("...finding life in this world") or the relationship with Jesus took the number one spot.

What happened if the follower suffered the worst from his choice to follow Christ? Fellow Christians would create a new extended family. Here, Christ stressed hospitality. Whoever welcomed the Christian, welcomed Christ and His Father. Whoever welcomed those who lived the consequences of choosing Christ (the traveling missionary and the person who lived God's will), received the same gift of grace God gave to those in ministry. Even in the smallest kindness, God rewarded the minister and the host equally. Jesus took a popular virtue and turned it into a ministry on par with the missionary. Supporting and welcoming God’s workers is as important as the work itself.

June 28 - 13th Sunday Ordinary Time

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