The journey into the desert that Elijah took, is in many ways a foreshadowing of the journey that each of us is called to take. He eventually journeyed for forty days in the desert, it was a time of purification and discernment for him, and it was only through God’s help that he was able to endure, our Lord knew he needed sustainment for this journey, and so provided a hearth cake and water for his body, but He was also with him on this journey to sustain him in spirit.
In our journey too, we must have sustenance, though in our case, it comes from the living bread that Jesus spoke about in our Gospel – Himself. The Eucharist is our most important sustenance, because without it, like Elijah, we may not be strong enough to endure for our own journey. Yet this grace is one that is contested by some to this day. They do not believe it to be truly the body of Christ, despite our Lords words that tell them very directly that it is in fact His flesh and blood, and that without it we do not have life within us. It is not a symbol, a pleasant remembrance, or just a reminder – what we receive is from the realm of spirit and so to human eyes it cannot be fully interpreted, and though it may look like bread and wine, it is truly our Lords flesh and blood given for each of us. This is indeed a stumbling block for some, just as Jesus himself was a stumbling block for some. We must listen to our Lords words, and believe in them, and thereby accept the gift that He has left us, to sustain us to new life.
The question then, is how do we do this, as it seems at first glance like a catch twenty-two, how can we truly accept His words without the bread of life, and how can we worthily partake of the bread of life without that acceptance?
Saint Paul provides us with a starting point, he calls us to put away bitterness, anger, and malice, and to allow the gifts of the spirit (love, patience, and kindness) to imbue into us. This initial quieting of the spirit and beginning acceptance of a different way of acting allows the spirit to work within each of us, and to prime us to accept the more complex message of the living bread that has come down from heaven for each one of us. When we open our hearts to this new way of thinking, our sinful need to be so critical of all that we do not understand begins to diminish, and we are able to see a bit past our own limitations that are the result of original sin. We can actually begin to soften ourselves to acknowledge that God loves each one of us, no matter what we have done, and that He indeed has a plan for us, that includes the gift of eternal life if we simply believe in Him. This process takes time, but like anything else it has to start somewhere. When push comes to shove, most people will acknowledge that there is a higher power out there, even if they do not completely understand it, this is the very beginning, and it is through this beginning, that the softening of the human condition can then work, and slowly produce fruits of the spirit which will allow the process to continue. It takes time, and for some, a lifetime of struggle, but in the end, there is salvation. The Lord does not ask for perfection, He asks for effort, because through this effort we show love, as we pursue Him.
To any who harbor any doubts about Jesus being the true bread come down from heaven, there is a call from our Lord, to simply soften their hearts a bit, and allow Him to do the heavy work that will bring them to eternal life.
PodCast Link
The Deacons Bench 