Print Version 20th Sunday In Ordinary Time

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle B 2009

Dear All, This week’s readings invite to two banquets. The first comes from the Wisdom tradition of ancient Israel in the First Reading from Proverbs. The proverbs are attributed to Solomon (son of David, reigned 971-931 BCE) author of ‘three thousand proverbs’. It is rooted in a classic form of Egyptian wisdom literature. Wisdom, personified as a woman, spreads out a sumptuous banquet inviting “whoever is simple…. who lacks understanding”. To me this means, ‘don’t overcomplicate it’, ‘the less you know the more you are welcomed’ to this meal of dressed meat and mixed wine, which are insight and understanding. ‘Lady Wisdom’ seeks those who are not wise so she can offer the riches of wisdom that she possesses. The second banquet is an invitation from Jesus to the bread which is clearly Eucharistic. Chapter 6 of the Gospel according to John, from which we read during these five weeks, is about sustenance. It is about eating. It is about nourishment. The Eucharist is not about eating like we normally eat. Normally, when we eat, we assimilate the food. Our body breaks down the food, takes the nutrients it needs, and feeds our cell system. In a sense, the food becomes part of us. Eating is about what we do with the food. We assimilate the food. But that is not what happens when we receive the Eucharist. When we receive the Eucharist, we don’t assimilate the food, the Food sort of assimilates us. Jesus transforms us. Instead of the food taking on our life, we take on the life of the Lord. We read in this week’s

August 16th 2009

Gospel: “Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.” To us this means to follow Jesus with the reward of eternity (=”life forever” in a spiritual sense). The wisdom theme is also found in the Second Reading, where the Ephesians and we are warned against foolish living. The admonition is startling: “because the days are evil”. Some of the evils we are warned about in this letter are still with us like drunkenness and corruption, dishonesty (=”debauchery”). Other forms of evil, like arrogance that presumes that our point of view is the only legitimate one, may it be in matters of religion or culture or political partisanship; corporate greed; glorification of violence; etc. would get Paul going to say “the days are evil”. Despite the invitation to all to be enriched at the Woman’s Wisdom’s table and to be transformed by the body and blood of Christ, we often procrastinate and choose to stay comfortable in the lives we have fashioned for ourselves and shy away from reform or renewal. Yet we are all kindly invited to … the banquet that leads to life forever. The complete text of the readings at http://scriptures-my-journey-oflifeandfaith.blogspot.com/2009/08/twentieth-sunday-inordinary-time.html With God’s Love and Blessings,

Rainer © Rainer Zinn - 2009

http://myjourneyoflifeandfaith.blogspot.com/

1

First Reading from Proverbs Prv 9:1-6

Letter to the Ephisians Eph 5:15-20

Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven columns; she has dressed her meat, mixed her wine, yes, she has spread her table. She has sent out her maidens; she calls from the heights out over the city: “Let whoever is simple turn in here; To the one who lacks understanding, she says, Come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.”

Brothers and sisters: Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord. And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.

© Rainer Zinn - 2009

Gospel according to John Jn 6:51-58 Jesus said to the crowds: “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.” The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

http://myjourneyoflifeandfaith.blogspot.com/

2