Taste and See the Goodness of the Lord: Reflections on the Readings from the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B

Before we get into this week’s reflections we should take a quick look at the Church’s teaching on the Eucharist, the Bread of Life, Panis Angelicus. First of all, the Eucharist is a sacrament. A sacrament is an outward sign, instituted by Christ which gives grace. St. John’s gospel is often referred to as the book of Signs, those miracles Jesus performed during his preaching the kingdom. Chapter 6 gets into the meaning of one of the most significant of those signs, the Eucharist. The Catechism also tells us that the Eucharist, often called communion, is a sacrament of unity (CCC 1331). Only the baptized who are in union with the Catholic Church and in a state of grace may properly receive the Eucharist (CCC 1355). It is also one of the sacraments of initiation into the Church, bringing us more completely into the communion of saints (CCC 1322). Additionally, the Eucharist is given to the dying as viaticum, “nourishment for the journey.” (CCC 1020) The Eucharist is our nourishment for our journey through life.

The idea of nourishment for the journey is brought out in the first reading from the First Book of Kings. Elijah, one of the greatest prophets (who was assumed into heaven on a fiery chariot), is seen dejected and forlorn. He is the last true prophet and has been persecuted and harassed to the point of losing hope in his mission, praying for death. However, God has not given up hope in Elijah and still has work for him to accomplish, so he sends an angel with food and water to strengthen him for a long journey.

Elijah’s cry to the Lord “This is enough, O LORD! Take my life...” leads right into the responsorial psalm which notes “When the afflicted man called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him.” In joyful response the psalmist exclaims, “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”

The second reading continues our journey through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Paul reminds us that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, which occurs at baptism (the first sacrament of initiation), again at confirmation, and (if applicable) Holy Orders. He also reminds us that we are beloved children (of God) and should act accordingly. He also refers to the day of redemption which could refer to preparing for eternal life, which is the main point of Jesus’s Bread of Life discourse: “whoever believes has eternal life.”

Before getting into the gospel for this Sunday I want to look at the verses between where last week left off and the verses for this week. As I mentioned previously in the first verse after last week’s segment, Jesus points out that the crowds following him have seen his signs, yet do not believe (John 6:36). He also tells them that he is obedient to the will of his Father in heaven. He also points to his divinity, “I shall raise him on the last day.” (John 6:40)

As we get into this week’s readings (v. 41) we see that the Jews are blinded to his works by the hardness of their hearts as well as the familiarity with his earthly origins. “"Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph?” This is taking place at Capernaum where he was currently residing. Recall the rejection of Jesus in Nazareth for similar reasons to which he said, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.” (Matt. 13:57)

Now Jesus also returns to the contrast between physical life and spiritual life. “Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." Notice also that Jesus uses the term “living” bread. Recall in John chapter 4 in the encounter with the Samaritan woman, Jesus offers her “living water.” Clearly living bread and living water refer to eternal life.

But Jesus requires from them faith. “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.” Dr. Peter Kreeft in his book, Because God is Real, talking about faith says this, “The fourth mistake is the assumption that our faith begins with the bible. … It’s the other way around. You start with God.” Here is Jesus, God incarnate, telling this crowd just that - belief in God comes first. Remember, at the time of this event the New Testament had not yet been written (although, by the time John wrote his gospel, the other gospels had). In fact, C.S. Lewis in The Screwtape Letters notes, “The ‘Gospels’ come later, and were written, not to make Christians, but to edify Christians already made.” In my view, much of John’s gospel is designed to edify the early Church with a strong theological foundation. The New American Bible makes note of the highly developed theology in this gospel.

As Christians already made we need to pay close attention to Sacred Scripture as it gives us the fullness of revelation of God’s plan for salvation of the world. The basis of that salvation is Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life. These next few weeks will help us understand the how Jesus remains with us until he comes again.