Thursday of the Third Week of Easter

 Lectionary: 276

Jesus said to the crowds:

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him,

and I will raise him on the last day.

It is written in the prophets:

      "They shall all be taught by God."

Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.

Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father.

The three verses above might confuse some modern readers. "They shall all be taught by God" might imply the Holy Spirit comes to individuals and each can have their own take on what God says, or at least each is authorized to lead their own inspired life without reference or deference to anyone else. "Every man a pope!" This atomization of society into isolated individuals might appeal to misanthropes but it builds neither cities nor schools. It only invites charismatic leaders to seize power and impose a stultifying order onto chaos; as Putin has done in Russia and Trump would do in America. 

Jesus clarifies his teaching and the apparent conundrum with his next word, "Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me." He is the centripetal force which draws us to himself, and necessarily closer to one another. His Father and the Holy Spirit enable, direct, and encourage us toward that unity which is the most powerful witness of God's presence. As Tertullian said, "See how they love one another!"  

And so we ask, "How does coming to Jesus effectively change my life? What will be different?" The obvious answer follows in the same Chapter 6, 

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.”

From its arrival in this inhabited, real world, the faith in Jesus has gathered his disciples around the table of fellowship to eat his flesh and drink his blood. We always hear and receive the Word of God together, and so our Masses and sacramental rites begin with one or more passages from the Scriptures.  And then we receive his flesh and blood under the forms of bread and wine from Jesus, who is the Lamb, the Altar and the Priest of sacrifice. He is the host who gathers us to the table and personally feeds us with himself. 

As a Catholic living in a secular, post-Protestant country, where Catholics were once despised and their beliefs mocked, I still feel somewhat defensive when I write of the Most Blessed Sacrament. How does one explain this doctrine to non-believers? 

We don't. In the earliest days of the Church, catechumens were not told of the Eucharist until after their baptism; that is, until they could be trusted to welcome this incomprehensible mystery. Explanations like transubstantiation reassure few and persuade none. It's better if non-believers never hear of the teaching. If they do hear of it from hostile "Christian" sects, we let the Spirit reveal to them first our love for one another, and then our admirable reverence for sacred mysteries. 

In the meanwhile, we take Jesus at his word. We do not require signs and wonders. Rather, we regard the Eucharist as one of God's Mighty Works, especially as hear Saint Francis telling us to "Look at the Humility of God!" and Saint Clare urging us to, "Gaze on him!" We let this revelation guide, direct, and transform us into an image of God in our troubled world. 

Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father.