By Fr Antony Christy –
19th Sunday in Ordinary time: 12th August, 2018
1 Kgs 19: 4-8; Eph 4:30 – 5:2; Jn 6: 41-51
When we were kids, I am speaking of almost three decades ago when eating at hotels or restaurants was still reserved for exquisite occasions, we would go on family pilgrimages that lasted over a couple of days. Apart from the spiritual value it had, I am reminded of the special preparations that preceded, specially those of preparing food for those days, which we would take along with us. There were certain types of rice preparations that would last for two days without the necessity of refrigeration or anything of that sort, but it meant extra care and special recipe at the time of preparation. As a kid, I remember I would get excited at the spread because the more it was, the longer the journey were to be. The preparation already gave us an idea of the duration of the journey.
Get up and eat, the Angel tells Elijah, it is going to be a long journey! The food was not merely to be eaten for the moment, but it was a source of sustenance. The Word this Sunday invites us to look at the Bread for the Journey, which means to look at the bread, to look at the destiny that is long and to look at the journey itself which could be trying. But do not be preoccupied says the Lord, because, I am the bread for the journey, I am the destiny of the journey and I am the journey!
I am the bread for the journey.
I am the bread, not any bread but the bread that has come down from heaven, and only the bread that has come from heaven can prepare you for heaven. Remember that you are bred for heaven, that is, you are being nurtured for heaven and I am the bread that can transform you into true stuff meant for heaven. The longer the journey is, the stronger the food has to be; the more trying the journey is, the more nourishing the food has to be. As bread from heaven, I have within me not merely all sweetness but all that it takes for you to make this journey!
I am the destiny of your journey.
You have to reach me, and you cannot come to me unless my Father draws you to me! My father has drawn you, that is why we are here conversing with each other. I am the way and not merely the way, I am the destiny too! Fix your gaze on me and do not get lost on your way. There would be pitfalls all along: the grudge that you can have against your brothers and sisters will distract you from progress, the anger that you harbour at heart can weigh you down and dampen your spirit; the spite that you have for others might make you lose your vision ahead. If you have to reach me, you need to take care of your relationship with others – be friendly; you need to pay special attention to those in need – be kind; and you need to be loving towards those who do not love you – forgive! The Holy Spirit has given you the capacity to make all this possible, do not waste that power invested on you – make it up to me, I am waiting!
I am the journey.
Do you think I am sounding like a task master, having given you a task and waiting to see if you got it completed? No, I am not only the destiny of your journey, I AM your journey! I am the way, I have told you this! I am the way, I am the journey, and I am the bread for the journey, all you need to do is, look up to me, learn from me, feed on me and be nourished by me. Eat of me, and become like me. Drink from me and be filled with my Spirit. Eat and drink, that you may grow into my very self… that is the journey – growing to be me! It is a life long journey, a journey of becoming me!
You have embarked upon this journey right from the time you received the Spirit from my Father, that was when the Father drew you to me! Now that you are well on the way, my child, realise that I am the journey and never stop your progress, that I am the destiny of your journey and do not take you eyes off me and that I am the bread for your journey, be strengthened by me and be transformed into me!
Fr Antony Christy is a Salesian Priest from 2005, who has a Masters in Philosophy (specialisation in Religion) and a Masters in Theology (Specialisation in Catechetics). He is currently pursuing his doctoral research in Theology at Salesian Pontifical University, Rome. Walking with the Young towards a World of Peace and Dialogue is the passion that fires him on.