EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY-A Aug 3, 2008

Isaiah 55: 1-3 Psalm: 145 Romans 8:35,37-39 Matthew 14:13-21

Last week, I did something, I had not done in 50 years. I baby sat a 9 month baby. The baby rested quietly on my chest, watching the TV screen. I meanwhile tried to prepare today’s homily. It was a peaceful reading of a joyful free feast from Isaiah. All you who are thirsty come to the waters, eat and drink milk and wine. Wine brought joy to the hearts. Milk was a symbol of abundance. Suddenly without a warning, the baby broke out into a loud cry as if the world was coming to an end: “Waaah” and it did not stop crying loudly until I carried it to the refrigerator where his milk bottle was stored. He almost leaped into the fridge to grab the bottle. He was hungry and he wanted food. Obviously he was not impressed by Isaiah’s invitation: “Come and buy without money, without price.”

Isaiah’s invitation is a perfect background to the Gospel’s story of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fish. Both Isaiah and the Gospel are heavily symbolic of the Eucharist.

• Isaiah’s invitation comes during the Babylonian exile of the 6th Century BC. It is a time of uncertainty, insecurity, hopelessness. The invitation brings joy and hope and courage to look to the future. We have a picture of water and wine, milk and meat and bread. This joyful free feast is a sign of God’s continuing Care for us.
   
• The Gospel finds us with another hungry group. The Apostles want to send them to Macdonald’s and Burger King which were not in existence. But Jesus turns around and says: “YOU feed them.”

In these holiday times, with people going off to the cottage and with barbeques in the backyard, with longer and cooler evenings, one can relate to Isaiah’s free festive meal. One can even relate to the abundance of bread and fish in the Gospel story. Being a Christian in circumstances like this is peaceful and copasetic. However, it was not so in the time of St. Paul. The Christians in those times found their faith a risky business. There were persecutions and hardships, there was poverty and people lacked the bare necessities: no food, no clothing, no shelter. It was discouraging and so Paul writes this well know passage: Nothing can separate us from the Love of Christ. It is a clarion cry, full of hope, enthusiasm and joy. It has the same upbeat note as Isaiah’s joyful feast.

However, the sad situation of the Roman church exists in some part of the world. Only last week the Bishop in the Basilan Province of the Philippines was given a threat. He was told either to convert to Islam or risk his life. The other alternative was to pay the tax to live with protection in the predominantly Muslim area. Come to the Eucharistic Table - come without money or price, because nothing can separate us from the Love of Christ. For those being persecuted, it is a faint hope !

In Canada and the States our lives are not in danger because of the fact we are catholics. However: Come to the table of plenty, and the Command of Jesus: You feed them can lead us to another and very real dimension. If we look beyond the bread we eat and see the Eucharist - there are things that do separate us from the Love of Jesus Christ - in the Eucharist. Jesus invites us to feed all. Paul tells us that nothing can separate us. But the reality is different. I will give you just four brief pictures:

1. Mary got married at the age of 18. Her chronic gambler husband walked out two months later. Neither was mature enough for marriage . Her application for annulment was a worse experience as she was sent from office to office, with a constant demand for $2000 in fees. She then met Tom and they are in a stable marriage. But she cannot receive the Eucharist. Nothing can separate us from the Love of Christ.

2. Jane spotted Father JR coming out of a gay bar in town. He pulled his cap down and crossed the street. She had no proof of anything right or wrong. But as long as he celebrates Mass, she cannot receive the Eucharist. Nothing can separate us from the Love of Christ!

3. Peter is pro-choice. He also believes that women should not be prevented from being ordained. It is a law of the Church, not of Christ . He cannot receive the Eucharist. Nothing can separate us from the Love of Christ !

4. John and Eileen got married in the Registrar’s office. John is a non -believer. He thinks his marriage is valid and sees no reason for going through another Church wedding. They attend Mass faithfully. But she cannot receive the Eucharist. Nothing can separate us from the Love of Christ!

Each of us can tell other stories, in our own lives, in the lives of our friends, in the lives of our relatives. These are good people who love their faith and the church. But they are breaking the law, they are sinners! This brings us to a second dilemma, Christ came precisely for the sinners and those who are sick. He did not come for those who are saints and who think there is nothing wrong with them.

Why do we stop people from coming to the table of the Lord. After all it is not my table or yours. It is the table of the Lord. Neither you nor I have invited them to come, Jesus has. So you can see that these texts today are like putting Nitro and Glycerine together. Taken separately they are harmless. Put them together and they can create a Big Bang. So are we ! If we keep the sinners on one side, and if we keep the saints on another side - we can and will be harmless and ineffectual. Keep them separate ! But Paul tells us nothing can separate us from the Love of Christ. Put these together, the saint and the sinner make up our church, make us who we are as the Body of Christ

Isaiah tells us to come to the waters, without money, without price. Perhaps we too should come to the Table of the Lord with hearts of joy and generosity, glad that others can join us. Let not my hardness of heart - separate them from the Love of Christ.

Appendix: this is a summarized version of an experience in New Orleans. A lady went for Mass at the Cathedral at St. Louis. There were bishops and priests. They all received communion under both species. The laity however, were only offered the Sacred Bread. She approached the priest afterwards and asked why the chalice was not offered to all. Oh, you must be a visitor said the priest. We do not offer the chalice, because there are too many drunks hanging around the square and we cannot take a risk.

As she left the church she thought, “a drunk could be sober the next day, and apart from the drink, which could be an addiction - he was all right. However, she received communion and then took Jesus into the poisonous garden of her anger, jealousy, lack of forgiveness and bitterness. But that was OK, because it could not be seen. However, a drunk coming up to Communion! Heaven forbid. She was very thoughtful. She resolved to tell Jesus, that he should watch what company he keeps in future !