Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
At a close examination of these Sacred texts, both the first reading and the gospel, we can discover that the One who bears the name “Wisdom” in the first reading, seems to appear once again in the gospel reading declaring, “My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.” If this is agreeable, then without doubt, Jesus Christ our Lord is truly the Wisdom of God, the Word made flesh – the Verbum caro factum est, the bread of heaven given for the life of the world.
In the garden of Eden, at the suggestion of the Serpent, “the woman saw that the forbidden tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom. So, she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband.” Gen. 3:6. This was the fall of Adam and Eve. Our first parents fell into the sin of disobedience because they were looking for food and wisdom, and as a result, they died. Now, the infinitely merciful God who abounds in steadfast love and faithfulness, desiring to restore what was lost through Adam and Eve, sent His only Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who by taking on human flesh became, not only our true food that gives life, but also our enduring wisdom to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Beloved of Christ, it will grieve you to know – though with little surprise – that the ancient Serpent has not ceased manipulating and tempting us – as he did with our first parents – in the areas of food, and the pursuit of wisdom and knowledge. And in a time of great apostasy, profanation, and desecration of the Most Blessed Sacrament, like ours, it seems worth the effort, to constantly and fervently seek out, even more, that true food and true drink, which is the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. For, it is Christ, and only Christ who satisfies all forms of human hunger, the hunger for food, for wisdom, for life and for love. It is Christ, who puts an end to ignorance, and gives rise to a life of virtue.
Therefore, dearly beloved, I trust that with these few insights, your eyes and minds will be opened to see the Face of Christ visibly present in these Scripture readings, telling you about Himself, and inviting you to so great a banquet, that only the proud are permitted to excuse themselves. For, what do you suppose the meat and wine mentioned in the first reading to be but the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ. What is the table if not the wood of the Cross, the tree of life, the Altar of Sacrifice on which lies the most exquisite of food – the bread of heaven. And what are the maidens but the Holy Spirit who creates a hunger and a thirst for God within us, and who quietly searches our minds and thoughts to see if we are worthy to partake of this heavenly food.
Let us, therefore, taste and see that the Lord is good.
Amen
Given on the Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time, August 18th, 2024.
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