e-vo for week of August 12

Dearest e-votees,

The appointed gospel for this coming Sunday has all sorts of touchstones for those of us with ears to hear and eyes to see.  Some hear sacramental language of communion.  Some hear nuances of “our daily bread”.    Others can help but hear the divine “I am...”  There is promise for this day and promise for the final day.  What catches your ears and your eyes on this day?

Peace,

Karl

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⁵¹ [Jesus is speaking:] “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

⁵² The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

 ⁵³ So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; ⁵⁵ for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. ⁵⁶ Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. ⁵⁷ Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”

John 6:51-58, NRSV

We pray that God would grant us our daily bread.  That is trusting that God knows what we need and that we can trust each day for that.  There is no need to hoard or build outrageous storehouses.  God's grace is enough each and every day.  Manna in the wilderness was a tangible expression of God's daily and faithful provision.  Jesus says that he is bread come from heaven that trumps even the manna that came to those wandering for those forty years.


As has been pointed out at the weekly text study I attend over the last several weeks of bread texts is that John, who never explicitly mentions either of the sacraments--baptism or communion--is perhaps the most sacramental of the gospel accounts.  How do we hear Jesus talking about his flesh and his blood being true food and true blood and not perceive communion?  By eating and drinking we abide in Jesus.  Jesus is a persistent and sustaining presence in our worship assuring us of forgiveness and grace.  This meal is not only for us but for all who would come to the table.  As we are assured of forgiveness for us at this meal we are equipped to forgive others as we ourselves have been forgiven.


As we are sustained and fed with Jesus we are strengthened to life eternal.  Beginning now we are given the gift of life that persists beyond the grave.  As Jesus was raised we too will be raised.  The communion meal we share now we share with all those who went before us and all those who are yet to come to the table.  There are churches whose inner communion rail is completed with a and arc of graves outside the church wall.  We are in communion with the great cloud of witnesses.  Our bodies will fail us some day but God's resurrection promise trumps the decay and entropy of our bodies.


If these words were said by anyone but Jesus they would be utter nonsense.  But Jesus draws us into the community of God as only he can.  He declares "I am..." and speaks divine promises of "We are..." that grant us life, healing, wholeness and joy.  These promises are for all who would come to the banquet meal with Jesus as the host.  We get to joyfully take our place at the table and bring others along.  May God give us words and actions for those who have ears to hear and eyes to see. 



God, you have provided what we need for life in its abundant fullness.  Help us live gratefully to your glory.  Amen.