18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 3, 2014
10 AM & 12 noon Liturgies
J.A. Loftus, S.J.
Our celebration of the Liturgy of the Word this morning
offers its own banquet of rich food and choice wine. As we all
know, it does not always happen that all three readings (plus even
the Psalm response) cohere with such beauty and power. But
today they do. And each reading is clear, concise, and compelling
just as it stands. One might even go so far as to suggest that no
reading today requires a homily note. As you can imagine, I
resisted that temptation.
The beautiful reading from the prophet Isaiah describes
God’s Messianic Banquet where all who are thirsty come to the
water and drink. All who are hungry, whether they have money or
not, eat their fill without paying and without cost.
Matthew’s hand paints the picture of the miraculous feeding
of the 5000 (and I’m sure you noticed “not even counting the
women and the children”—some things never change). It is
Matthew’s way of telling us Jesus is the fulfillment of that Messianic
Promise in Isaiah.
Psalm 45 picks up the theme and sings, “The hand of the Lord
feeds us; God answers all our needs,” and tells us “God is near to all
who call upon him.” And for good measure, even St. Paul is today
on the same page. “Nothing can [ever] separate us from God’s love
in Christ Jesus.”
In a very real sense I find myself asking: what else needs be
said? As I said earlier, the readings are clear, concise, and
compelling. But something kept nagging at me, and for me at least,
it raised more questions. Questions like: do I really hear what’s
being said, or is it, perhaps, all just too familiar?
I’ve heard the Promise so often before. But do I believe the
Promise? It is hard to believe it really. Most of us live in a terribly
realistic world. Brothers and sisters by the millions are actually
starving. And we are again at war—or should we say we are again
into several wars in scattered places around our globe. Sometimes
the evening news becomes a nightmare. Sometimes the global
indifference is so painful to endure. Sometimes the impotence
seems overwhelming.
But even in our own lives right here in Chestnut Hill, people
are still starving—for so much. Sometimes it is simply food, yes
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even here. Other times the hungers are less visible: hungry for
fulfillment, hungry for spiritual light, hungry just for peace in our
hearts and minds. It’s easy for Auntie Mame to urge her nephew,
Patrick, to: “Live, live, live! Life is a banquet and most poor fools
are starving.” I guess many of us just must know too many fools.
It’s not fun out there for everyone.
I’m afraid that in the real world Isaiah begins sounding like a
dreamer or at least an economic idiot (no money, no charge at
all?). And Matthew starts sounding like he’s read too many of
Grimm’s fairy tales. There is a dark side to hearing such beautiful
promises; there really is!
I’m sure by this time some of you are asking yourselves:
“How could he possibly get so depressing with such beautiful
readings?” I will only accept partial responsibility. The author of
the letter to the Hebrews warns us all “scripture is a two-edged
sword.” (Heb. 4:12) We all do deserve a personal Babette’s Feast.
And it remains a sure Promise. But perhaps some of us will first
need to serve the meal before we sit down to enjoy it. That’s the
invitation buried in today’s beautiful readings.
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The Promise we celebrate and sing today is sure. But it also
absolutely requires us to co-create it for each other. No guilt here,
please. St. Paul is right: nothing can separate us from God’s love in
Christ Jesus, not even our helplessness or indifference. We don’t
have to do anything! But the invitation to do so much is also clear.
I leave you with a favorite prayer/poem of the great Spanish
mystic St. Teresa of Avila. “Christ has no body now on earth but
ours. No hands but ours. No feet but ours. Ours are the eyes
through which the compassion of Christ looks out on the world.
Ours are the feet with which he goes around doing good. Ours are
the hands with which he blesses us now.” And there are still,
perhaps, 5000 people outside our church waiting to be fed.
Not only are the readings today clear, concise and compelling.
The invitation is equally clear, concise and compelling. Our world
is starving in so many ways, physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Each one of us holds a key to some kitchen. Peace!
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