‘By some other magic’

Andrew Collis
Ordinary Sunday 20, Year B
1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14; Psalm 111; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58

“To believe in God is to eat bread not by yourself but by some other magic …” (Joseph Pintauro, 1968). 

Bread may refer to Passover, Torah, Wisdom/Sophia … It may symbolise divine providence, the crucified and risen body of Christ (union with the whole people of God – a “blessed community of blessing” (Garry Deverell)) … grace and truth … a love that satisfies … a liberation that rises from the people, from the Earth … 

Bread means sustenance … Eucharist …

And the eating of bread – the Greek verb in today’s gospel might be translated “gnawing” or “munching” – points to a profound appropriation of Jesus (the Jesus story), the doing of the will of the one who sent Jesus … the presence of Christ/a in the life of the community through the Spirit …

Jesus says: “[W]hoever eats this kind of bread will live forever” (v. 58b).

We are an ecumenical (open to many Christian traditions) and affirming congregation of the Uniting Church in Australia. The Eucharist is at the heart of our life together.

What does this mean to us/you?

The gospel invites us to boldly expansive understanding of bread. The kind of bread that nourishes, gives life to the world, satisfies our hunger for justice … sharable-magical bread … 

Crass cannibalistic interpretations are rejected. Jesus goes on to say: “It is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh in itself is useless” (v. 63).

And yet, we might consider the hunger that is ambition, greedy hunger for more … exploitation … as when the psalmist says: “Will those who do evil never learn? They eat up my people like bread …” (Psalm 14:4). 

The incarnate Word or Wisdom of God was executed, devoured.

And so, the Eucharist confronts us with a terrible reality – the Word of the Cross, the truth concerning our own (imperial, colonial … controlling) violence toward the friends of Jesus … toward Christ/a in the little ones, those we have used and despised, whose flesh (bodies, lives, material resources) we have consumed.

The “magic” in this sense may refer to true repentance, to new solidarity with the victims of our own greed and violence – and even to our becoming what we receive … true friends of Jesus, Christ/a re-membered.

The “magic” means joyful anticipation of the coming glory of the kindom.

We are an ecumenical (open to many Christian traditions) and affirming congregation of the Uniting Church in Australia. The Eucharist is at the heart of our life together.

If we take just the verbs from our un/mission statement, we note the following: we seek, look, strive, care, dare, explore, share …

Reflecting on hospitality as charism and practice (the story of Jesus, the story of Jesus and friends including saints Lydia and Paul), Alison proposes the following motto: “Crossing cultures …”

May we join the just, then, in crossing cultures … in the company of Gadigal Mudjin … in the company of writers and image-makers … breaking bread with gardeners and eco-theologians … supporters of diversity, equity and inclusion … seekers of Wisdom from many traditions … 

May we join the just in crossing cultures … Christian and Indigenous spiritualities … cultures more or less familiar … cultures high and low … breaking bread with neighbours … lovers of peace. Amen.