I THINK, THEREFORE I EAT; I EAT, THEREFORE, I AM

HOMILY FOR THE 20^TH SUNDAY IN THE ORDINARY TIME OF THE YEAR B

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

I remember the famous philosophical proposition of Rene Descartes which he thought to be the foundation of all knowing: Cogito ergo sum (I think, I am). In such line of thought, the philosopher placed thinking as the fundamental and necessary aspect of existence. Thinking becomes a condition for proving and assuring that one exists. But there is another proof and assurance for life and existence which Jesus’ own philosophy presents: unless you eat the flesh of the son of God and drink his blood, you have no life in you (the Gospel according to John 6:53). And so, borrowing Descartes construction of his thesis, our own thesis based on Jesus’ proposition becomes:  cogito ergo manduco (I think, I eat). The consumption of the body and blood of Christ becomes then the proof of thinking and of knowledge, which can then be rendered as wisdom. Eucharist then becomes the food for the wise. It does not surely stop at being the food for the wise; it is also the proof of true life and existence. Thus, we move from cogito ego manducare to manduco ergo sum (I eat, I am). The body and blood of Jesus in the Eucharist is then the assurance for life temporarily and eternally.

The two readings that preceded the Gospel give a clear examination of our first thesis: I think; I eat. The First Reading (Proverbs 9:1-6) speaks of wisdom as a person. In personifying wisdom, the author talks of wisdom as preparing a banquet and calling on people who are willing to come and partake of it with these words: let whoever is simple turn in here. This gives us a clear hint that the banquet is for the simple; the humble hearted. The opposite of simplicity is complexity. Wisdom does not call on the complex people, nor as it is the proud hearted. It is a meal for the humble. Wisdom calls on the simple to come eat and drink so as to grow more in knowledge and advance in understanding. This is what the Eucharist does. The more we eat, the more He (Jesus) increases. He must increase, but I must decrease (cf. John 3:30). And so, the more we eat, the smaller we become. God (the omniscient) invites the simple to partake of the Eucharist so as to grow more in humility and understanding. The Eucharist is a sure way for greater wisdom.

A wise person is that one who even in the wideness of his knowledge still finds himself/herself as one who should aspire for more knowledge. The person is humble to learn more, and by so doing grows in wisdom and understanding. The higher the person climbs, the simpler/humbler the person becomes. But the foolish person would just know a little and would think he/she has got the knowledge of everything. The person grows pompous and failure starts to creep in. Pride goes before a fall. Greater consciousness should then be encouraged to decipher the direction towards which we move; simplicity and complexity? And this is the exact warning of St. Paul to the Ephesians (5:15-20) in the Second Reading: “watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons, but as wise, making the most of the opportunity…” Wisdom is here again connected to life. So, the wise person grabs the opportunity of partaking in the Eucharist, and so the person lives. When we live in wisdom, we truly live. And true wisdom consists in partaking of the Eucharist, and so in eating, we truly exist.

The Gospel (John 6:51-58) gives us a clearer view of our second thesis: I eat, I am. The writer started by narrating the confusion of the Jews based on the teaching of Jesus on the bread of life. They questioned: how can this man give us his flesh to eat? In his reply, Jesus unravels the results of partaking of the bread of life. Each of the following verses gives a result of partaking of this bread.

1.      Eternal Life (v.54): “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.” To eat here means to eat zealously and with pleasure; just like the picture of one who is hungering for Christ and eagerly desirous to feed and feast on Him.

2.      True Satisfaction (v. 55): For my flesh and my body are real foods. The word ‘real’ implies true as opposed to falsehood. Worldly pleasures and satisfaction are not real; they leave people somewhat empty and insatiable. True satisfaction comes from receiving Christ into one’s life. Receiving Christ is very nourishing.

3.      Supernatural Intimacy (v.56): “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” To remain is to abide and dwell, and never to leave. This intimacy entails fellowship and companionship which does not exclude the care and watchful eye of God in looking after us.

4.      Meaningful Life (v.57): “The one who feeds on me will live because of me.” Receiving Christ entails a life lived because of Christ. Such a life is meaningful and purposeful. It is because we are sure that we live for Christ that we can profess tomorrow.

5.      Incorruptible Life (v. 58): “The one who feeds on this bread lives for ever.” The body and blood of Christ that we eat is an incorruptible food received into our hearts, and in turn energizes life for ever. It is this living bread which preserves this life from decaying unlike the manna that was eaten in the desert which never assured incorruptibility.

Jesus presents his body and blood as a condition for life. If anyone wants to live, let him/her eat and drink. Anyone who refuses to eat and drink is a dead man spiritually and eternally. Physically, such a person lives in the realm of death. Spiritually, such a person has no life with God; the person has no true and real relationship with the true and living God. So, partaking, eating and drinking of Christ is absolutely essential in order to truly live; in order to have a life that lasts. It is the food for the humble. It is the food for the wise. It is the food that conditions life hereafter. It is the Eucharist. Think of how lovely it will be if every person in the world partakes of this meal and allows his/her life to be led by the demands of this meal. May we continue to feed and feast on Christ who is really and truly present in the Eucharist. Happy new week. God bless you.