HOMILY Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle B August 11, 2024

 HOMILY   Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time   Cycle B    August 11, 2024

The Jews said: “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph?  Do we not know his father and mother?”  

First of all, in the Gospel of John the phrase “the Jews” refers specifically to the party of Jews that were in opposition to Jesus and Jesus’ followers.  At the time John wrote his Gospel it was 60 years after the Resurrection, and the division between Jews who followed Jesus verses the other Jews had hardened and become toxic.  It is NOT what we mean when we say “Jews”.  After all, the Apostles, all the earliest disciples, Mary, and Jesus Himself were all Jews, and still are.  So, when you read or hear the Gospel of John, you have to mentally translate the phrase, “the Jews”, to “those who opposed Jesus.”  

And those who were opposed to Jesus, especially among the scribes and the pharisees, said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph?  Do we not know his father and mother?”

Of course, in the simplest terms, they were correct.  Jesus was known as the son of Joseph.  And people certainly knew Joseph and Mary.  Thus, on the most basic, literal level, those opposed to Jesus, were correct. 

But they were also totally wrong, because their understanding was way too limited, too short-sighted, too surface and superficial.  And this is a warning for us.  We must not only see on the surface, but to truly understand, and thus respond correctly, we must see deeper, much deeper.

Jesus said to them: “Stop murmuring among yourselves.  No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, …” 

Ever hear any murmuring?   Every murmur yourself?   Ever moan, complain, criticize, badmouth, murmur?   Seems that there is lots of murmuring these days. 

Those opposed to Jesus, the so-called “Jews”, murmur and complain and moan and groan because they only see the surface.   They have no idea of what is really going on, and more importantly, who Jesus really is.  They are confused, feel left out, and are angry.

To see more deeply, more truly, more really, is a gift.  Jesus tells us:  “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him (or her) on the last day.”  

Faith in Jesus is a gift that the Father wants everyone of us to have.  God offers this gift of faith to you, and to everyone.  Jesus assures us: “Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.”  So to really see, you first have to listen.  And that requires patience, inner quiet, and attention.  We listen to the Father, learn from Him, and come to His Son Jesus. 

There is no one way to do this.  I suspect this is individual and even unique for each person.  But the result is the same, which is faith in the Son of God.  And Jesus solemnly assures us: “Amen, Amen I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.

SO, What do you see?  How deeply into reality can you see?  Growing in the spiritual life is the ability to see more deeply. 

When you see a homeless person on the street:  do you see something to be avoided?   A threat?   A person in need?   A fellow human being?   An object of compassion?    An opportunity to help?  What do you see?    Can you see several things at once? 

Those opposed to Jesus, “the Jews,” were not seeing Jesus as He truly is.  They saw, but only the surface: “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph?”   They were not wrong, but they were way too limited.  They missed what was really important, indeed critical, and remained only on the surface. 

To believe is another way of seeing.  Jesus in the Gospel today says, “I am the Bread of Life.”   What an odd statement.  What does He mean?  Can you see Jesus as the “Bread of Life”???

When you see the bread and wine consecrated and shared, do you see only bread and wine?  Can you see in the sharing and communing the Body of Christ?  Maybe not every time you come to church.  But at least once-in-a-while?  So that the memory of seeing more deeply can hold you over on the days you really just don’t see it?

We strive to open ourselves to the Holy Spirit so that we can let go of our blindness, our seeing only on the surface, and see more deeply into the reality of what is really going on, what is really happening here.   To see Who is really and truly present. 

And when we can overcome our fear, overcome our blindness, then we will truly know what Jesus solemnly tells us today: “Amen, Amen I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.”

And that is wonderful.  That is Good News.   AMEN.