+ We have two powerful readings today: the first about the conversion
of St. Paul, and the second about Jesus’ great ultimatum regarding true
“communion” with him.
In
the Acts of the Apostles we see what happens when God has his way
with a young energetic persecutor of the brand new Church of his Son that was
just getting on its feet: God saw into the entire personality and soul of Saul
of Tarsus and simply liked what he saw and he chose him, of all people, to be
the great Apostle to the Gentiles –
indeed to all people to the ends of the
earth! Sometimes God changes our
plans for us no matter how we think we are on a correct and true track: in
the end, his track is always surer and better: because he alone knows how all
the colors of the entire tapestry fit together to make a magnificent work of
art!
In
the gospel passage Jesus, on purpose, makes an extremely
demanding and shocking statement: you
must eat my flesh and drink my blood in order to achieve the salvation that you
so desperately long for: there is no way around it (you must be that united
with one another so you can share the merits of my life)! And many leave
him at this point for this was madness
in their estimation!
Well, maybe yes in their estimation,
but not in God’s. For those who stayed and believed and were willing, Jesus
later would show how this eating and drinking would not be under unpleasant
circumstances: since he had all power in heaven and earth, he simply took
fruits of the earth (bread and wine) and by speaking words made them really and
truly his body and blood (soul and divinity) so that we, the members of his
Body the Church, for all generations, would be able to eat and drink for our
own salvation and spiritual nourishment and fortification – when the priest
speaks the same words over bread and wine!
We
thank God then today for providing for the transmission of the Word
of God, by an eager young upstart named now Paul of Tarsus; and for the means
to fulfill the command that Jesus gave to eat his flesh and drink his blood in
a very real but palatable sort of way!
Yes, the Bread of Angels tastes sweet to the palate of men; it is their joy
and their hope of future glory!
Amen!
Alleluia!
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