When I first looked at the Readings for this coming Sunday, I had to chuckle. The second reading, from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, is the one where Paul states that wives are to be subject to their husbands in all things. That’s in the long form, but there’s also a shorter version which omits that sentence. I wonder how many readers will use the short version!!!
Another thing which brought a good laugh: last Sunday, as the opening to my homily, I talked about my weekly trip to Breadsmith to pick up one or two loaves of their rosemary-garlic ciabatta, and what killer grilled cheese sandwiches it made (I was comparing my excitement about getting that bread to my lesser excitement about the hosts that we receive at Mass, but how the hosts have far more transformative power than a loaf of bread.). Well, as it turned out, some folks brought me some of their homemade bread, and of course, I had to share some slices of the ciabatta. Unfortunately, I can’t multiply the loaves like Jesus did, so now I hafta wait till next Friday to get my ciabatta fix.
But really, that is what the Eucharist is all about. It’s sharing. Jesus shares His very life with us through his Body and Blood, and in so doing, slowly but surely transforms us into a man or a woman who thinks, speaks and acts as he does. No earthly bread can ever do that. And the sharing of different kinds of bread with the different residents here at St. Paul’s makes for a bond of companionship with each other that wasn’t there before.
Sharing is one of the core tenants of Jesus’ teaching. It helps us to make sense of Peter’s great profession of faith in Sunday’s Gospel: “Lord, to whom else shall we go?” We know deep within that the only life worth living is one of sharing.
Have a peaceful day!!!
Fr. Herb, C.S.C.
