18th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year B – August 5, 2018

There is Bread that Gives Eternal Life

 

There is a video by Fr. Fernando Armellini with English subtitles

commenting on today’s Gospel reading:

 

Introduction

 

A person’s dream has always been to have life, eternal life. To achieve this, Gilgamesh, the hero of Mesopotamian literature, had challenged the monster Humbaba in the garden of cedars. Then he went down the abyss of the seas to take possession of the grass which is called “the old becomes young.” He reached it but a snake stole it from him. The destiny of man is sad; he is born to die. Dejected, the psalmist also concluded: “For redeeming one’s life demands too high a price and all is lost forever. Who can remain forever alive and never see the grave” (Ps 49:9-10). Despite of being short as a breath (Ps 144:4), this life is sacred and inviolable.

 

In the Hebrew language the word “to live” is never applied to animals or plants, but only to humans, and is used as a synonym of “to heal,” “to recover health,” “to be happy.” Only one who lives a peaceful existence, free from disease, full of joy, really lives. Tears and pain are signs of death.

 

Bread maintains, but does not ensure biological life forever; it is destined to be extinguished, and the legendary plant of immortality is a chimera, an illusion. But God has a bread that communicates eternal life, and has given it to the world, because he wants everyone to have life and have it abundantly (Jn 10:10). “While all was in quiet silence and the night was in the middle of its course” (Wis 18:14), he sent his word, “Whatever has come to be, found life in him; life which comes for human beings, was also light” (Jn 1:4).

 

To internalize the message, we repeat:

“Every day I have to feed myself with the word that comes from the mouth of God.”

 

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year B – July 29, 2018

The Bread: Cause of Conflict and Sign of Communion

 

There is a video by Fr. Fernando Armellini with English subtitles

commenting on today’s Gospel reading:

 

Introduction

 

The Israelites were caught by panic in front of the Canaanites. To instill courage in them, Joshua and Caleb, men of imposing stature, exclaimed: “Do not be afraid, for they will be bread for us!” (Num 14:9). Curious coincidence: the Hebrew root of the word “bread” is composed of the same consonants of the verb “to fight,” as if to indicate that the struggle for food is the stirring cause of wars. Even the disagreements between Israel and the Lord are derived from the scarcity of bread, “In Egypt we sat down to eat all the bread” (Ex 16:3).

 

Only when bread is shared, it ceases to be a source of competition and strife and becomes a sign of love and brotherhood.

Eating bread with someone is to consider him one’s own intimate, a friend whom one grants trust, an ally from which one does not expect any betrayal (Ps 41:10). The strongest tension, the most poisonous resentments are manifested in silence at table and more embarrassing discussions that break out among the diners.

 

The banquet is, by its nature, an expression of peace and reconciliation (Gen 31:53-54), this is why God has chosen it as the image of his kingdom. He will lavish a banquet in which “the lowly will eat and be satisfied” (Ps 22:27).

 

Here’s his dream: one day to contemplate all his children, the olive shoots, around his table (Ps 128:3).

 

To internalize the message, we repeat:

“The poor shall eat and be satisfied, if I will have the courage to share my goods.”