20th Sunday of Ordinary Time.

Only The Wise

In the book of Proverbs we meet Wisdom and Folly. Each lays on a banquet and we are invited to choose which to attend. Those who share the bread and wine offered at Wisdom’s banquet will learn from the Lord and gain wisdom and life. Those who choose Folly’s banquet will wallow in self indulgence, but will in fact learn nothing at all. The story provides a backdrop for today’s gospel.

“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in them.” Jesus is describing a spiritual diet in which we can achieve a union with him. How can we achieve a union with Jesus if we choose a staple diet of quick fix comforts? How can we hope to achieve a union with Jesus if we live for holidays, entertainment, flashier cars, more clothes than we’ll ever get round to wearing and gadgets that we’ll never use? How can we achieve a union with Jesus on a diet of junk and trivia?

The invitations have been sent. We can continue to feast on life’s trivia. We can continue to pander to our current lifestyles, or we can accept God’s invitation to spiritual nourishment through Christ’s teachings and through the Eucharist.