19th Sunday of Ordinary Times

Today’s first reading describes both the physical and spiritual hungers of the prophet Elijah, and how God gave him a special food. Having escaped King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, Elijah finds himself exhausted, hungry, and deeply depressed in the desert regions of Southern Israel. He begs for death. but God provides food and drink for him, to strengthen him for the journey to Mount Horeb (Sinai), is the mountain where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and other stipulations of the covenant.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus proclaims Himself to be “the bread of life.” Jesus tells us he is the bread that will strengthen us on our journey through life and into eternal life. But some Jews are in a state of illusion. They say, “ You are a mere man, the son of Joseph…” They Judge Jesus from mere externals. Because of their negative feelings toward Jesus, they have closed minds. They have already decided who Jesus is, a mere man. They will not accept Jesus’ true identity. To accept Jesus beyond externals requires faith. Faith sees beyond externals.

Throughout the centuries and today, Catholics and other Christians have believed that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist. In a sense, the bread we eat, the wine we drink, is an illusion. OUr human eyes see only bread and wine, only externals. Through faith, we go beyond externals and recognize the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Elijah didn’t know what was in those baked cakes. In faith, he ate them and began his journey to Mount Horeb as the Angel directed him to do. We have been told what is in the food Jesus offers us, that it is Jesus Himself. WE just have to do what the Angel told Elijah: “Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long.” We need the strength this meal gives us as we make our journey to eternal life. Have you ever judged a person from mere externals and later discovered you were not even near to knowing the real person? What did you learn from this experience? Does this experience help you to believe in the Real Presence?