Commentary: The book of Proverbs is one of multiple wisdom texts in the Old Testament, including Sirach, Ecclesiastes, Wisdom of Solomon, and more. In each of these texts, readers are exhorted to live wisely. In today’s first reading and elsewhere in the wisdom texts, wisdom is even personified as “Lady Wisdom.” This way of speaking of wisdom was common in the ancient world, especially among Greek culture and philosophy. Jewish authors adapted this portrayal of wisdom in their writings as poetic language to depict the wisdom of God. It is important to note that in the mind of the Jewish authors, all wisdom finds its source in God, for God is wisdom itself. Today’s first reading portrays Wisdom as extending an invitation to a great feast. This banquet includes food and wine with the call to come “eat” and “drink.” In coming to Wisdom’s great feast, people turn from the foolishness of the world and “advance in the way of understanding” to find true life. Wisdom brings life because wisdom is found only in God and God is the giver of life. This passage about Wisdom foreshadows Jesus, who is the Wisdom of God incarnate. Jesus also invites us to a great feast, of which we will hear about in today’s Gospel. His feast is the Eucharist which feeds our souls and gives us life, even life eternal. Through the Eucharist we can also come to find God’s true wisdom.
Second Reading: Ephesians 5:15-20
Commentary: Our second reading continues to be from Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians today. This passage correlates well with the first reading by picking up the theme of wisdom. Paul exhorts Christians to live “not as foolish persons but as wise.” He too would advocate that wisdom is only found in God, not in the ways of this world. To be wise, involves seeking “the will of the Lord.” This takes much prayer and discernment. God’s will is always best and through following it we can find true joy and purpose in life. We can also find true wisdom. This wisdom leads us to forsake the sinful ways of the world, including all forms of debauchery (which means an excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures—one example of which is drunkenness). Rather than being consumed by sensual pleasures we can be “filled with the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit transforms us and gives us wisdom to discern the will of God and live rightly. This leads to something better than sensual pleasure. Following the Holy Spirit leads to ultimate purpose and fulfillment in life. It leads to living life as we were created to live it. It leads to joy that is expressed “in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” It even leads to “giving thanks always and for everything.” Can you imagine that? With God, we can always be thankful, whether in good times or in bad. Paul didn’t say “give thanks when times are good” or “give thanks for the good things you have.” He said, “give thanks always and for everything!”
Gospel Reading: John 6:51-58
Commentary: Today we continue to read from the “Bread of Life Discourse” in John 6. Jesus references the manna in the wilderness, explaining that the Israelites ate that “bread from heaven” but still died. Jesus now offers the people a new “bread from heaven,” one that leads to eternal life. In fact, He says that He is the “living bread from heaven,” and we must eat His flesh and drink His blood in order to have eternal life. As one might imagine, these words were scandalous to Jesus’ original audience. What could Jesus mean? Was He simply speaking figuratively? No! When the Jews questioned Him about His statement, Jesus did not back down. Rather, He emphasized it. He began with “amen, amen,” a transition sometimes translated as “truly, truly” that indicates that what follows is very important. He then reiterated the need to eat His flesh, adding drinking His blood too. He then went on to reiterate the need to eat His flesh and drink His blood three more times. We get the sense that Jesus really meant this! Jesus did not want us to miss the necessity of eating his flesh and drinking his blood. In fact, next week we will hear that He even lost most of His followers over this one teaching and yet did not back down or explain it away. If this is so important, what then did He mean by it? He was speaking of the coming Eucharist, teaching His followers that He would pour out His flesh and blood on the cross and give them the Eucharist in order for them to consume His very body and blood in communion, which leads to eternal life.
Taking it Home:
Paul calls us to “give thanks always and for everything.” Thank God today for all the blessings you have, but also thank Him for the challenges because He can bring good even out of those. Specifically, thank God during the liturgy for the gift of Jesus’ body and blood in the Eucharist.