Breaking the Word

I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever." These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. (Jn 6:51-59)

 

 

Death is a reality which each one of us as individuals and as a family and as a society has to reckon with. When we lose our dear ones we feel so much that nothing in this world can console us at that moment. Prayer, at the moment of lose, is to change and console us. Prayer at that moment stirs our faith and celebrates our faith. In praying for the dead we do two things: we highlight our faith in the power of God and we hold up the life of the person who has died.(to let God take care of things).

 

We pray for the dead because we believe (and this is a doctrine, the communion of saints) that we are still in vital communion with them. There is still (in spite of death) a vital flow of life between them and us. We who believe in the resurrection after death, feel love, presence, and communication reach even through death. We and they can still feel each other, know each other, love each other, console each other and influence each other. This is what consoles us and probably consoles them too.

 

Jesus who was with the Father came into this world to create relationship with the people. After his death and resurrection he continued this relationship. He communicated with his followers still continues to communicate. It is this that makes think of the dead and make us communicate with them, love them. Relationship continues beyond death. For us believers Jesus is the link. His body and blood (which are life giving) make this link eternal.

 

When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you. ( Mt 5:1-12)

 

 

According to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus has just begun his ministry. But he faced crowds of people at the beginning of his ministry itself. He had to go up higher(on the mountain)  so that he might be visible and audible. He began his ministry by preaching the people on the kingdom of God. He preached to his disciples (his followers). His maiden address.

 

Already in his speech he gave the orientation of his mission and activities. He was going to work with the poor, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger, the merciful, clean of heart, peacemakers and the persecuted. This list seemed to be out of the ordinary. Jesus began his mission with the people who were not in the forefront of the society. These people were his targets.

 

These were the ones who were about to possess the kingdom, the y were the one who were seen as comforted, satisfied, called children of God etc. There was a shift in the normal course of events. People who were of less favoured in the sight of men were considered to be the privileged people in the sight of Jesus. He came into the world to give meaning to the underprivileged, the deprived, the suffering and the sorts. Yes he came to tell them that they were the saints.