A Surprising and Astonishing Loving God!
How can this man give us his flesh to eat? The Jews quarreled in Jesus time and others still do to this very day. How can Jesus give us His flesh to eat? It’s not easy to hear these words and more difficult to believe them. No wonder so many walk away upon hearing these words.
Yet it is the litmus test of our Catholic faith. Listen again to Jesus words: Amen, Amen I say to you unless you eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood you do not have life within you. For my flesh is true food and my blood true drink. And whoever eats this bread will live forever.
Words that may seem gory and gruesome, but words that mean exactly what Jesus wants to happen. Because He says if we do it, we will live forever. Jesus tells us this not because He wants to share a shocking tale, but because it is what God, His Father, wants also. Our Father desires Jesus’ words “believe this, do it and we will live-forever together.”
So I thought about this “shocking truth”, why can’t God do this, or why wouldn’t God do this bewildering thing? Pope Francis tells us, Our God is full of astonishment and surprises. And this great mystery is one of these astonishing things God likes to do.
When we ponder this profound mystery, it is better not to figure out HOW God does this, but better to reflect, pray and understand WHY God desires this?
The answer is basic and simple. From the first moment of creation, God has desired to be near us. God enjoys us and wants to shower love over us. Even when we are disobedient, God forgives us. If we can point to a weakness in God, it is His love for the humans He created. In our long friendship with God, we can find many ways, God helped us to get our choices right.
So why not allow Jesus to feed us His body and blood until we are with God forever. We know that our all-powerful God loves to be with us. And when we take His Son into our lives, our pains, our doubts, and our hurts, God is near us. Now that’s astonishment and surprise only found in a truly compassionate and loving God. And it stands out as a beautiful truth of our faith.
When we hear the words about “eating and drinking” Jesus, don’t walk away from these words. Instead embrace the Why of their meaning? They remind us to be appreciative always of such a surprising and astonishing God.
Eucharist brilliantly shines forth as an astonishing and surprising sign of the love God created us to share with Him forever. To make sure this happens, Jesus offers Himself: whoever eats this bread and drinks this blood will live forever. So don’t mock such a gift, astonish God eat it and live with Him forever.
POSTSCRIPT
Several readers have remarked about the photos used in this Blog. I gather these photos with my IPhone, as I take my daily walks around my neighborhood and when traveling.
I select photos that speak to me about what my written Blog selections convey or what I see as God’s creative masterpieces given to us for our enjoyment.
I hope you appreciate the photos as well as the written words that accompany them. God does want us to live each day well and He offers many creative ways to do this, all of which we are truly grateful.
My choices are only a few of these exquisite art works, so keep your hearts and eyes open for the many more right where you are which God wants to share with you personally.
As you discover them, hear this favorite quote Pope Francis uses in Laudato Si: On Care For Our Common Home.
“Beauty will save the world” - from Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
I think you might agree!
