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Reflection by Jeff HobbsJohn’s Gospel does not have the breaking of bread and sharing of wine at the Last Supper. The Eucharistic teachings of John appear much earlier in the narrative. The Gospel of John works in many layers and chapter 6 begins with this miracle and leads its way to challenge the disciples about their faith in the presence of Jesus in the bread he offers as himself. We can read this as being about Eucharist, about the divinity of Christ or about our own faith in knowing Jesus. The wonder of the Gospels is the way they can be read time and time again and always offer new insights and understandings. Each time we read this passage we bring ourselves to the feast and have to ask “what is it that I need from Jesus?”
I had the privilege over the past school holidays to attend a three day silent retreat at The Hermitage, a Marist retreat centre in Mittagong. It was run by Bishop Greg. Not our Bishop Greg but Lismore’s Carmelite Bishop Greg Homeming. He challenged each of us: teachers, Marist Brothers, Mercy Sisters and others to consider where we find God in our own lives and our own selves. One thing which stood out to me over those days was his sense of “how we receive eucharist.”
Bishop Greg’s considerations weren’t so much about whether we do so by hand or mouth, kneeling or standing but more about how we experience the presence of Christ in the action of taking bread and letting that bread become a part of ourselves. It wasn’t the twelve baskets left over that he said we should focus on but rather the reception of Christ into our very being. Accepting Eucharist is transformative. It allows us to recognise that we are made in God’s image and that we are worthy to receive God into our lives time and time again.
The five thousand men sitting on the hillside were not necessarily the elite of Jewish religiosity. The boy who provided the bread was not a holy man or a prophet of old. These were ordinary people, awaiting the Passover. Jesus brought the Passover to them, allowing them to be a part of the story of God without judgement and without limit: he gave “as much as was wanted.”
As a Church we are a sign of God in our world. We need to follow Jesus in allowing others to be nourished by his presence without judgement and without limit. The synodality the Church strives for today is a reflection of the actions of Jesus in this, and every, Gospel story. All are welcome, all are Church and there is enough left over to feed every tribe of Israel. Today’s Gospel asks us to recognise the limitless generosity of God in our lives in every aspect and every way. Eucharist is to give thanks. By receiving we become grateful and we become providers of God to others. That is our challenge and our blessing.
