Homily for the Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ, Year C

Eucharist: The Fountain of Life

Rev. Marcel Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, California 

Sunday, May 29, 2016

When you are really hungry, a good meal is especially good because it settles you down. I don’t know about you, but when I am hungry, I become nervous and jittery. I become unsettled. But a good meal settles me down. After that, I am more relaxed and energized to carry out a function. Hunger can weaken a person. But a good meal does the opposite. But when it comes to the feeding and nourishing of our spiritual side, the best and finest meal we have is the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. 

The Gospel of Luke 9:11b-17 is about the story of hungry men, women and children numbered over five thousand. Their hunger was so deep, so huge that no human food or effort could satisfy it. In search of a good meal, a good food that no chef can prepare, no restaurant can serve, and no house-cook can ever make, they went to the Source of all good things. They went to the Fountain of life— Jesus Christ. The folks in this Gospel were not in search of grilled chicken, grilled Salmon, steamed broccoli and baked potatoes or fries. They were not in search of healthy and tasty food from some of our choicest and favorite restaurants. They were in search of the Real Meal, the Food for the Journey, the Bread of Life, the Bread of Angels, the amazing Food for the soul. They were in search of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, the Bread broken for our nourishment. And none of the food we eat at home or in a restaurant can offer such a nourishment. 

The central point of this Gospel passage (that appeared in all four Gospel) is about the abundance of God’s Kingdom. It is not about hungry bellies being filled. It is not so much about sharing with others (although it is a Christian virtue to share our resources with others, especially the less fortunate ones). It is about the power of God to overcome our lack and insufficiency, to fulfill our innermost and deepest yearnings, and to baffle and amaze us with plenty- plenty of grace, plenty of healing, plenty of mercy, plenty of joy, plenty of blessing, plenty of favor, and plenty of redemption. This Gospel exposes us to the kind of God we serve. That when God steps in, no matter how dire a situation may be, miracles happen. And God does perform beyond our expectation. He exceeds our wildest imagination. He gives us more than we ask for. He does not give in bits and pieces, he overwhelms us with his blessings. But before that can happen, we have to do our bit, our part, first. What is our part?

The crowd of people were spiritually hungry and starving. It’s possible they had been elsewhere in the past in search of solution. The Gospel did not indicate that. But what we know is that their spiritual hunger and starvation led them to Jesus. When they found him, they followed him with keen interest and listened to his message with rapt attention so much so that they forgot or neglected their hungry stomachs. To satisfy their hungry hearts, innermost longing, they forgot their hungry stomachs and other material desires. Jesus’ disciples recognized only their belly need, but did not see Jesus as someone who can satisfy it. So they asked Jesus to “dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions…” But Jesus swung into action, and with five loaves of bread and two fish, he was able to feed and satisfy their belly needs. But before he filled up their empty bellies, he fed them spiritually with the message about the Kingdom of God. Their hunger was satisfied. Empty hearts were filled. And broken souls were mended.

To do our part, therefore, is to make seeking for Jesus a top priority. Hanging out with him on a daily basis should be our first choice. Like the crowd in the Gospel, our desire to seek him, find him, be intimate with him should topple every other desires. Jesus is not looking for admirers, but lovers, passionate lovers, and firebrand disciples. Our quest to please him must top every other aspirations. We serve a God who never stops thinking about us. His devotion to us is complete. Our devotion to him should be complete as well. He overwhelms us with his blessings. Let’s make him proud with the gift of our life. Every minute we stay in church should be seen as a time well spent. The Mass hardly goes beyond 1 hour, 15 minutes, yet, that is too much for some of us. They keep looking at their wrist watches, extremely longing to go home. The crowd in the Gospel were with Jesus all day. They forgot every other thing, including their belly hunger just to be with him. In the end, Jesus did not disappoint them. He satisfied all their yearnings— spiritual and physical, and blessed them exceedingly. When we are in the house of God for our common worship, keep your mind and heart here. Shut out every other things you want to do. Keep your attention and focus here. The same Jesus who multiplied a few loaves of bread and fish is still here present with us. During the proclamation of his word- (reading and homily), pay attention to what he is saying to us. During communion, receive his Body and Blood reverently. Instead of thinking of what you want to accomplish after Mass, think about what God is about to do for you. If anything is bothering you, talk to him about it. He listens! God listens! 

Jesus fed the crowd beyond their imagination. He continues to feed us likewise through his precious Body and Blood. The Eucharist is the Body of Christ. It is the most profound demonstration of God’s mercy. It’s the greatest showing off of God’s mercy and compassion. His desire to stay with us at all time, to be our Real Food and Drink is God’s mercy at its apogee. Let our hunger lead us to the Real Food. Let our thirst bring us to the Fountain, the Real Drink.