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| The Eucharistic banquet is the banquet of eternal life. |
Reflection on Today’s Readings, 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B, August 18th, 2024
Texts: Proverbs 9:1-6; Psalm 34:2-3,10-15; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58
The Eucharistic banquet is the banquet of eternal life. It is a banquet whereby we receive eternal life. Jesus Christ says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
The first reading reminds us that Eucharistic banquet is the initiative of the Lord. We read, “Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven pillars. She has slaughtered her beasts, she has mixed her wine, she has also set her table.” The cost of the banquet is on our Lord. His flesh is what we eat, His blood is what we drink. He feeds us with Himself at the banquet so that we can become like Him. He says, “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.”
The banquet we learn how to live
The first reading also reminds us that it is a banquet whereby we gain wisdom. We read, “To him who is without sense she says, ‘Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Leave simpleness, and live, and walk in the way of insight.’" This is because at the banquet we learn how to live, give ourselves to God and one another. It teaches us the path to eternal life.
It is the banquet that is possible because of Son’s perfect obedience to the Father. He prayed thus: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). In His words again: "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work" (John 4:34). Hence, the banquet reminds us to do the will of the Father, not our own will. It is the banquet whereby we learn to make God’s will our food.
The banquet whereby we experience the love of God
The banquet is also a lesson of love. It is made possible because of God’s love for us. For God so love the world, He gave us His only-begotten Son, that believing in Him we might have eternal life (John 3:16). Hence, it is a banquet of God’s love. It is a banquet whereby we experience the love of God. Here we need to take to heart the words of our Lord: “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 15: 12).
St. John tells us what it means to love God. He says, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters" (1John3:16). Our Lord says, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."
The banquet of praise of the Lord
Eucharist, being the banquet of God’s love, we need to take to heart the words of St. Paul, today. He says, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.” It is a banquet of praise of the Lord.
Prayer
O God, who have prepared for those who love you good things which no eye can see, fill our hearts, we pray, with the warmth of your love, so that, loving you in all things and above all things, we may attain your promises, which surpass every human desire. Amen
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
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