[stephenkhoo]

SEEKING RECOURSE IN THE EUCHARIST AS THE MEANS TO EXPERIENCING THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN THE STORMS OF LIFE
SCRIPTURE READINGS: ACTS 6:1-7; JN 6:16-21
http://www.universalis.com/20140503/mass.htm

It is inevitable that we meet with rough patches in life, and like the disciples of Jesus, we often become fearful. As a community we also face such tribulations and threats that come from both within and without. Our family or the Church as a whole can be threatened by forces that are against it. This was so in the case of the early Church, for they faced persecutions from both the Romans and the Jewish leaders. Indeed, the “boat” that was buffeted by the storms in the gospel symbolized the Church under attack. But more insidious were the threats that came from within. The idyllic Christian community of one heart, mind and soul which we read about just a few days ago seemed to last only for a short period. Division and disagreements set in as a result of discrimination, or the lack of social justice with regard to the distribution of material goods.


What was the cause of fear for the disciples? What was the cause for the division in the early Church? The answer given by St John is this, “it was getting dark by now.” Darkness for St John is symbolic of Satan and the presence of evil. Darkness meant that Jesus was absent, since “Jesus had still not rejoined them.” Indeed, without the presence of Jesus, whether as individuals or as Church, we easily succumb to the negative forces of life. Hence, it is not surprising that the early Christian community was divided, for as the apostles realized, “It would not be right for us to neglect the Word of God so as to give out food.” Without the presence of Jesus, we cannot face life and its struggles. Instead, we become inward-looking and get ourselves entangled in petty squabbles over the non-essentials in life.


But the good news of the Easter season is that God is not absent from us. He is truly present in our midst, especially in the person of the Risen Christ. But how is He present and how can we come into contact with His presence? St John gives the answer: it is in the Eucharist. Even so, how can we find faith in the real presence of our Lord in the Eucharist? The miracle of the multiplication of loves which we read yesterday, actually anticipated the discourse on the Eucharist, since the narration of the miracle itself is patterned on the Eucharistic celebration of the early Church. Today, the miracle of Jesus walking on the water serves to prepare us further for the full revelation of the miracle of the real presence of the Lord in the Eucharist. For only in the Eucharist, can we live out the full implications of our baptismal calling, which tantamounts to going through the storms of life. It is thus important to see the theological significance of today’s gospel miracle.


Firstly, it must be noted that when St John narrated how the “disciples went down to the shore of the lake and got into a boat to make for Capernaum on the other side of the lake,” he was alluding to the Passover and the crossing of the Red Sea during the time of Moses. Just as Moses led the people across the Red Sea unharmed and dry, so Jesus, the New Moses and the Passover Lamb enabled the disciples to arrive safely on the other side of the lake. In this instance, we see the relationship between the sacrament of baptism and the Eucharist. So Jesus is the presence of God among His people.


However, Jesus now wants to be forever present to us in the bread as well. This is possible only because earlier on in the miracle of the multiplication of loaves, He showed Himself to be the Lord of nature and not simply the Lord of history. But in the miracle of the walking on the water, Jesus showed Himself to have power not only over nature but also over His own body. As the Lord of nature, His body transcends space and time. Indeed, the Risen body is a spiritual body and is not subjected to the laws of matter, gravity or nature. This is further accentuated when we are told that although the disciples were three or four miles away from the shore, they suddenly reached the shore, even before they could take Jesus into the boat.


The point is that if Jesus had such power over nature, it means therefore that it is not impossible for Him to be truly present also in the bread and wine which He used as His “memorial.” Thus, whenever we repeat the whole eucharistic institution in memory of Jesus, He becomes present to us.


If this argument is not adequate, then, we must again recognize that the miracle of Jesus walking on the water is a divine epiphany. In the psalms, we pray that God does not leave His footprints when He walks over the sea. We also take note of the fact that when Jesus appeared to the disciples, He said, “It is I. Do not be afraid.” For St John, the words “I” or “I am” is a divine name of Yahweh. In reassuring the disciples that He is the “I am”, that He is God in person, certainly there was nothing that He could not do and thus they had nothing to fear. Jesus is not only our healer but He is also our sustainer in life.


So it is clear that in today’s liturgy, we are being prepared for the full revelation of Jesus’ presence to us in the Eucharist, where the bread is broken and shared; this bread being the Word of God. Thus, it behooves us to give priority to the celebration of the Eucharist in our lives. Indeed, we must learn from the early Christians and the apostles not to neglect the bread of life, be it the Word of God or the Eucharist proper.


Indeed, we are called to “devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the Word.” Without a deep union with God and a deep consciousness of His living presence in our lives, we cannot live a life of love, justice and compassion. This deep experience of God’s presence in us and in everyone is possible only when we recognize that Jesus is present in the Eucharist. This is evident from the life of the early Church, since Acts tells us that when “the word of the Lord continued to spread; the number of disciples in Jerusalem was greatly increased, and a large group of priests made their submission to the faith.” Let us deepen our reflection on the Eucharist further during this season of Easter so that our consciousness of the presence of the Risen Lord becomes more real in our lives. This realization would be our real source of strength and energy to journey through this life in faith and hope.

Written by The Most Rev Msgr William Goh
Archbishop of Singapore