20th Sunday of Ordinary Times

There is a desire in each one of us to be one with another. This hunger can only partially be filled by human intimacy. Ultimately, rest and peace come only when we enjoy union, communion with God. When we enjoy this communion, we experience ourselves as really real, fully alive.

Today we hear in the Gospel one of the most important reasons why we are all here, to be fed by the body and blood of Christ. It is food that promises life eternal. Jesus is our most profound link with God. When we are in communion with Jesus, we are in union with God. Coming to him is the way to a wisdom which is beyond this world. Jesus is telling us there are some things we cannot see on our own. But if we allow ourselves to be guided by his word, it will make our life more wonderful and it will be guided by his word, it will make our life more wonderful and it will be forever. He invites everyone to come to him to be enlightened. Because, with his light we see further-into eternity. A shortcut to this wisdom he offers us is the Eucharist. Jesus replies to the unbelievers, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.” The Eucharist is a way of life by which we allow ourselves to be constantly nourished with Jesus’ body and blood.

The book of Proverbs in today’s first reading, reminds us that the Eucharist is also wisdom’s banquet. In antiquity or ancient era a banquet was an occasion to share wisdom, with food and drink for both body and soul. The practice survives in our word symposium, which means literally “drinking together”. We call a person “wise” who can see beyond the obvious. We all know that wisdom involves more than innate ability; it is that. St. Augustine; Later in his sermon on Eucharistic food, he sums up his theology with, “Be what you can see and receive what you are.” Every time we partake of the Eucharist, we are reminded whose body we are. Just as Jesus shares his life with us, so Pope Francis urges us, “I want to ask you to walk together, and take care of one another…We need to see the light of hope and to be men and women who bring hope to others.”