“The Living Bread!” by Wayne Miller

“The Living Bread!” by Wayne Miller

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Moses told them, "This is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat."

Exodus 16:15

“…you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds; that is not how you learned Christ...”

Ephesians 4:17,20

“…My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

John 6:32-33

Piety

Abba Father, thank you for coming into the very center of my being, the divine unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Triune God, living in me, moving through me, blessing all Your children and me.  Thank You for responding to the epiclesis of our celebration and coming down from heaven every single time to fill our hunger for you.  Thank You for Your patience and acceptance and persistence throughout the millennia.  Thank You not only for the inspiration of Your Word but also the miraculous gift to consume You and fill me with your Spirit – day after day – in the grumblings and the blessings.

Study

For over a quarter century, I believed that everything in my life was utterly my responsibility and under my control.  Frank Sinatra and I sang “My Way” from the top of our stubborn, single-minded hearts and it led me to amazing accomplishments for a simple boy from a small country town. And every accomplishment left me feeling more and more empty and alone. Then I met the man who is the epicenter of our faith and religion, and He opened my eyes to the Way that is never empty or solitary. Jesus taught me that all those pious prayers and rituals were just a Way to see and hear Him and I thanked Him from the bottom of my heart for giving me a reason to celebrate Eucharist as often as possible, not just my “Sunday Obligation.”

I listened to the Word proclaimed and to homilists who encouraged me to take the Word to heart and go out there in the world and be God’s Man – and it terrified me, and I despaired that I would never have the courage or wisdom or oratorical gifts to “be God’s man.” I was filling my Jesus-tank as full as possible at Mass and hoping that the world would not overwhelm and shoot it full of holes the moment I left the church.

Then one day I actually looked at that little piece of bread that the priest was elevating for our adoration, and I realized: THIS IS Jesus! Not just a reminder of a supper two thousand years ago or a symbol of God Among Us! The God of the Universe is precisely what He said He was: “the true bread from Heaven…come down…and giving LIFE to the world!” All in a little one-inch flat wafer! And He wants me to eat Him and carry Him into that world! And He wants ME to trust everything He’s taught me! And He wants to be with me every second of every day, in and out of “church,” at work, at home, at play. He shows me with His Eyes and Heart how much He Loves every single one of His stubborn, grumbling, sweaty children. And He helps me trust that my gospel story is exactly the Love that those children need – even if they don’t return any appreciation for it or me.

All that, wrapped up in a simple “Amen”, and I get to hold a single grain of wheat, the son of Mary, and the Everlasting King of the Universe in my hands for a brief, thankful moment before swallowing Him and knowing once again that I am not alone and never will be!

Action

My morning prayer every day is: “Good Morning, Lord! Thank you for being with me today! Where shall we go and who do You want me to Love?”

I love the Joy and confidence that I am never alone and, if I can keep the clouds of myself from closing in, He will give me laser clarity to see His Children that need to know how much He Loves them.

I pray that every day, you may enjoy the unspeakable blessing of His companionship!

De Colores!