Homily For Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 11th August, 2024

 

Reading: 1Kings19:4-8; Ps. 34; Eph.4:30-5:2; John 6:41-51

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

THE BREAD THAT I SHALL GIVE IS MY FLESH FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLD

 

What can ever satisfy the human hunger and thirst for peace, righteousness, holiness, love and joy? These are the things we search for every day of our lives. But we seem to have little or no answer. This is because we have often failed to listen to God’s words calling us and directing us towards the path of truth, which he has revealed through his son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who has been speaking to us in the Gospel.

 

Thus, today, Jesus continues with his teaching on the bread of life; he wishes to draw those who listened to him into a profound relationship with himself. Hence, he said to them: ‘I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the desert, and they are dead, but this is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that a man may eat it and not die. I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever, and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world.’

 

Here, Jesus asked them to believe in his wonderful promises about eternal life. In the same way, he invites us to partake in an indestructible life, to share in the very life of God. Jesus wants us to know that he is the food of our souls. Our souls are really starving due to sins, and indeed thirsty for holiness, love, peace and purity. In Jesus, every staving and empty soul finds strength and satisfaction. For in him, there is fullness of life.

 

The fact remains that Jesus is the bread of life which came down from heaven. And He wants us to commit our souls into his hands, just like Elijah in our first reading, who, when he almost gave up, the Lord sent his angel who can and touched him, saying, ‘Get up and eat or the journey will be too long for you. So Elijah got up and ate and drank, and strengthened by that food he walked for forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. Thus, we must know that whenever we experience anything of spiritual hunger and thirstiness, we must come to Jesus and be satisfied.

 

Little wonder St. Paul, in our second reading, tells us to imitate God as children of his that he loves and follow Christ loving as he loved you, giving himself up in our place as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God. Therefore, we should never have grudges against others, lose our temper, raise our voices to anybody, call each other names, or allow any sort of spitefulness. Rather, we should be friends with one another, and kind, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave us in Christ.

 

Dear friends, because of the ugly situation in our society today, we are weighed down by sorrows in our conscience, staving in affection and love, especially in this difficult moment in human history. But we are not to give up no matter the situation we are facing right now. We must know that Jesus is always ready to relieve and restore us whenever we come to him in faith, for in him alone shall we find lasting satisfaction, peace and love both now and for eternity. So, today we are called to embrace the love of God present in the Holy Eucharist as the body of Christ. Christ gave us his Body as the power of God’s mercy for sinful humanity.

 

Therefore, We are called to deepen our understanding of this rich mystery of our faith in the Eucharist and come to change the way we relate with Jesus in the Eucharist. We are called to strive to worthily receive the Holy Eucharist. We are called to be grateful for this Sacrificial love of Christ in the Holy Eucharist and form the habit of adoring Christ our Lord present in the Holy Eucharist. Remember, he is the Bread of Life, and anyone who eats this bread will live forever. Hence, we must let the love of his presence transform our souls into that purest love that will renew our families, societies and the world at large.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, oftentimes we are thirsty and hungry down within our souls; as we listen to your words today, may we find that satisfaction that our souls desire and, by so doing, find eternal life. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Sunday and remain blessed.