Homily – Fr. Jerry Chinchar:
August 20, 2006
Dayton, Ohio

When I was a little kid, lots of years ago, there was a new product touted on the TV. Yes, TV was invented back then…and we had one.

Only black and white, but it was there.

In any case, even back then every program had an advertisement, not as many as we have today.

But on the kids program, Howdy Doody, one of the advertisements we had was for this new product: it could build strong bodies in 10 ways. They even called it WONDER BREAD because it was so wonderful…all those vitamins and they said it tasted good too.

Well, Wonder Bread was disappointing in many ways and you could get those ten vitamins in lots of other sources. But the company was smart insofar as they had used bread as the medium.

Bread has been a basic, staple food across the world as far back as our records show.

Even in the Old Testament, when the widow of Zareptha was dying in the midst of a famine, she was going to take a little flour and oil, make a loaf of bread and die.

And when the Israelites were wandering in the desert, the Lord fed them with Manna from heaven.

Even in our day and age, we recognize the goodness of bread and bakeries are springing up in lots of places. We even have PANERA BREAD right around the corner on Brown Street.

And so it is hard to miss the point that Jesus is making in the Gospel today when he says: I AM the LIVING BREAD come down from heaven.

This saying of Jesus echoes in our hearts with the Manna that came down from heaven to feed the people on their journey to the promised land.

Today we see Jesus giving himself to us
as food for the journey of life;
he himself is the BASIC nourishment
that will not just build out bodies ten ways,
but will strengthen us for holy living,
for living in the Kingdom
for ever.

Many modern people still ask the question that the folks in the gospel ask:
How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

They were taking Jesus only at face value;
and so they were thinking
he wants us to be cannibals:
and for the pious Jew who kept a kosher table
and had a profound respect for blood as the seat of life.
They were appalled.

Yet, as was often the case, Jesus was giving them a new teaching; inviting them into a different reality.

And so
Before he was given up to death,
a death he freely accepted,
JESUS took bread and gave GOD thanks.
He broke the bread,
gave it to his disciples, and said:
Take this, all of you, and eat it:
this is my body which will be given up for you.

When supper was ended, JESUS took the cup.
Again he gave GOD thanks and praise,
gave the cup to his disciples, and said:
Take this, all of you, and drink from it:
this is the cup of my blood,
the blood of the new and everlasting covenant.
It will be shed for you and for all
so that sins may be forgiven.
Do this in memory of me.

So this Jesus does something new
He gives his very self to us
under the appearances of bread and wine.

Do YOU believe this??

And he says those startling words:
Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood
You have no life in you.

The language that Jesus uses to describe this food—his very own flesh and blood—reminds us of the sacrificial language that the crowds around Jesus also knew from temple worship and sacrifices, where blood was poured out as a sin-offering.

In the Temple, the flesh of sacrificed animals was roasted and eaten and the blood poured out. To share in the sacrificial meal by eating the roasted flesh is to become a participant in the sacrifice.

The victim’s life is given to God and - in turn - becomes food returned from God to the giver.

This sacrificial food is no ordinary food; those who give up the life of the victim receive life from the very victim that has been scarified.

The mystery of life and death is at the heart of the sacrifice.

That is WHY the Mass is often referred to as the EUCHARISTIC SACRIFICE.

We bring bread and wine to the Altar
and after the prayer of offering and consecration
it is given back to us
transformed;
our partaking in the consecrated bread and the consecrated cup
is our sharing in the sacrifice of Christ.

We bring the bread and wine
as a way of bringing ours selves - our innermost selves to God.
We bring the gifts as a way of saying that we are giving the gift of our self to God.

And so it is important to think about how much we do that interior self giving; and how does it really show up in the way we live.

Our communion implies a certain commitment on our part.
Communion implies that kind of commitment that allows the life of Christ to flow through us as we leave.

We are nourished and strengthened here for holy living.

For building up a world - even on campus - where justice and mercy and loving-kindness are the basic building blocks.

And so it is only right that we begin the new academic year with the Eucharist
and with some meditation on the mystery of Christ’s broken body and his outpoured blood.

It is right that we sing to one another:
Taste and see, taste and see that the Lord is good,
the Lord is good.

We need reminders and encouragement on the journey;
we need to remind one another and build one another up in faith.

So, think about how you invite others into this relationship with Jesus.
How do you invite those who are not here today, to come with you and to join in this relationship with Jesus?

So, going to Mass is not just one discreet holy act that we do.
Going to Mass - actually participating in Mass - from the core of our being.
That is what brings us to share the life of the Kingdom even now.

Coming to Mass together reminds us that we are in this together; salvation is a community event.

Together we hear the Word;
Together we are challenged to live justly - in reconciliation and love with all our brothers and sister.

Together we are comforted by the promise that Christ is with us;
Together we are nourished and strengthen as we eat and drink at this holy table.

So it is not simply a mechanical question.
It is not simply the act of walking up and drinking from the cup.

RATHER: it is the ensemble of acts by which we gather here at Christ’s Word;
that we are attentive to the Word he speaks to us;
and that we decide anew to follow him.

Then as we hand ourselves over to him
he in turn gives himself to us.
To nourish and strengthen us for holy living.

So that as we go forth from the Mass,
As we are sent forth, we are convinced that we must live differently because of him.

“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.”

To Christ who loves us.
To Christ who gives his very self to us.
To Christ who gives us his body to eat and his blood to drink so that we might live for ever.
To Him be all glory and honor and praise
now and always and for ever and ever.