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)

The dead are remembered in every religion and culture. Even those who deny the existence of God visit the tombs of the dead for veneration. There is a basic need in man to associate with the past and the people of the past. It need not be for a worship of the dead. They are remembered and some pray for them or pray through them to God. It only shows the affection and esteem one has for the dead.

In the bible, resurrection is presented as basis for faith and life. ‘If Christ has not been risen, your faith is in vain’ (1 Cor 15:17). ‘In Christ all shall be brought to life'(1 Cor 15:22) and this is our hope. I proclaim ‘… he was raised on the third day according to Scripture’ (1 Cor 15;3).   St Paul presents Jesus as the model of resurrection and a forerunner in that.

Resurrection is a gift and it is the work of God. It is like creation and hence resurrection is. In fact, it is a new creation. Our remembering of the dead is in relation to this biblical idea. They are remembered in relation to God and his activities. God is remembered and he is thanked for the wonder that he works in the dead. Jesus is not only a model in this but also the food for the people who believe in this God. Jesus nourishes the people to enter into this eternal communion with God.

 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. (Mt 5:1-12)

Holiness is a vocation. The whole of creation is called to be holy. Our belief is that God has created us to experience him in this world of His and communicate Him to this world. God is present in this world. So we are called to experience God and express God to one another.

We are not called to be gods. This would be going against our vocation. We could never be gods.  Our holiness consists in living the godly life in this world. Living out our vocations consists in: being poor in spirit (not attached to wealth and material things), being meek, being meek and merciful, being peace makers etc.

Holiness also consists in accepting suffering, persecution, false accusations, insults etc. This is the prophetic way of being godly. Holiness is not aloofness or being separated from the others. Rather it is in involving with the others and being instruments and signs of God to one another.