Ordinary 21

The Twenty-first Sunday of Ordinary Time

Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b; Psalm 34; Ephesians 5:21-32; combining John 6:51-58 & John 6:60-69

The fourth and final in a series on John 6.

Breakfast is ready! Yet as we look at the priest-artist Sieger Köder’s painting entitled, “Easter morning on the lake”, the eyes of Peter have a mixed look in them of sadness & shame.

Again as we have seen, Köder infers Jesus’ presence. He places us in the painting looking out at Peter from the perspective of Jesus on the shore. The eyes reveal more of the soul than words. What do you suppose is the look in the eyes of Jesus toward Peter?  …toward yourself?

In today’s Gospel many disciples, note, not the crowds but the followers of Jesus, respond to his shocking teaching that he will give us his flesh to eat and blood to drink by no longer following him. They return to their former ways of life.

Now the phrase, ‘former way of life’ refers not to their occupations but to their life choices. Their choices to follow other gods. Their choices for sin. Their choices to walk away from God or to put God off until it is convenient in their lives. Their choices that made them less of whom God has called them to be. The same is true for us. We choose other gods. We encounter God when it’s convenient for us, don’t we?

Like all those people who listened to Jesus today, have you ever reflected and struggled with this teaching about Jesus giving us his flesh and blood?  Simply saying, ‘I take it on faith’ to my mind isn’t sufficient. The consent of faith without reflection, doubt and questions is a faith not tried and therefore is not faith. I am not talking about ‘how’ this mystery happens but that it happens at all.

The painting, referencing John’s Gospel, shows how Peter and the disciples returned to fishing… former ways of life? But did not Jesus say they were to fish for women and men?

When Jesus asked the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” It was Simon Peter who answered, “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” But it was Peter who runs away in the garden and then denies Jesus.

Yet it is Peter who is at a distance walking out of the waters toward Jesus. I am reminded of the return of the prodigal son.  It’s the sadness and shame in the eyes. The waters? Is it the waters of the Sea of Tiberias or is it a reminder for us of the waters of baptism. The artist bathes Peter as he rises out of the waters in the red of the redeeming blood of Christ, just as we are inserted into the death and resurrection of Christ through baptism.

So much has gone on in the relationship between Jesus and Peter. All the ups and downs: from the glory and the terror of the Transfiguration experience to Peter’s public denial of Jesus; from being a chosen part of an inner circle with James and John privy to situations the other nine apostles were not to Peter raising a sword to defend Jesus at his arrest injuring a bystander; from Peter’s great declaration of faith that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the Son of the Living God to returning to fishing, the ‘old’ normal that we long for in this pandemic.

Have you ever been involved in such a turbulent relationship?

Though the scene centers on the relationship between Peter and Jesus, it is the great breakfast fire that dominates the painting. I am reminded of the remarkable burning bush that is not consumed encountered by Moses. Fire, thunder, lightning, bright sun light. They all mark encounters with God in the bible.

The breakfast menu is fish and loaves drawing us back to the beginning of chapter 6 of John’s Gospel and the multiplication of the loaves and fish. Why? Because every meal in the scriptures in some manner is about the Eucharist and the waters of Baptism lead us to that holy table. Thus Peter is walking toward Jesus out of the waters and toward the meal. In our churches the baptismal font is on an axis with the holy table. The washing in the blood of Christ leading to the drinking of the blood of Christ and the eating of his body.

Look again at the face and eyes of Peter. The memory of the most recent events I expect are upper most in his mind. To his mind his betrayal has caused a rift in his relationship with Jesus that cannot be bridged.

How many Catholics still hold on to the past and believe a particular sin or choices in life are unbridgeable with Jesus? Because of this attitude, how many stay away from the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist?

I asked, what do you suppose is the look in the eyes of Jesus toward Peter?  …toward you and me?

Not knowing the multitude of answers to that question in this assembly and Köder not giving us a glimpse of Jesus’s eyes but picturing a big breakfast to which Jesus warmly invites Peter and the disciples to partake of along with us, we must surmise that there is no rift in the mind, eyes and heart of Jesus.

The sacred meal, the Eucharist, is the bridge of reconciliation that heals the rifts between God and ourselves; between God and the world. But it is not just the receiving Holy Communion that heals. That would border on ‘magic’. For in Christian spirituality there must be a change of heart, a conversion, involved.

Remember after breakfast Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me more than these?” And when Peter assents each time, Jesus tells him in turn to feed others. To approach and receive Holy Communion, the body and the blood of Christ, without love and a willingness to feed others in turn does not heal rifts. Eating with others in love; a love that pours out in service for others is healing.

In the light of disciples leaving Jesus due to his teaching, there is a sadness then to the last words we hear of Jesus. A question posed not just to the Apostles but to you and me, “Do you also want to leave?” Why sadness? Because Eucharist is about relationship. And relationship can be refused as well as accepted.

In the last month I’ve spoken to you about the Eucharist in relation to the role of Catholic and elected Catholic officials in a pluralistic society. I’ve reflected on whether the Eucharist is reward or medicine. I’ve spoken about neediness and hunger, complaining and resisting. I’ve evoked images of absence and presence. I’ve placed before you the image of a lover – God luring us into the desert to seduce us. It’s all Eucharist.

Just remember it was a never about loaves and fish.

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Images, passages and ideas are from Magdalen Lawler, a Sister of Notre Dame from her book, Love Bade Me Welcome: Reflections on the Eucharist in the Art of Sieger Köder, Pauline Books and Media, 2016. http://www.PaulineUK .org