Body and Blood of Christ

Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 15 (Year B)

John 6.51-58

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

“Ooo, gross!” That is what the original audience was actually saying when they heard today’s portion of the Bread of Life Discourse. “The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’” (Jn 6.52). To which Jesus replies, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (Jn 6.53). In their minds, what Jesus has been saying goes from difficult to understand to impossible. He started off with “I am the bread of life.” Then he moved on to “I am the living bread that came down from heaven.” Which then became “the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

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Bread of Life: God's Gift

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 14 (Year B)

Ephesians 4.25—5.2; John 6.35, 41-51

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

How quickly things change. The day before at the feeding of the 5,000, those present were full of praise, saying, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world” (Jn 6.14). Because they were enamored with him and what he accomplished, “Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king” (Jn 6.15). But now, when he tries to get them to see what he is really about—being the bread of life that came down from heaven—they become offended, a little indignant, maybe even a little combative.

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Bread of Life: Choosing The Eternal

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 13 (Year B)

Exodus 16.2-4, 9-15; Ephesians 4.1-16; John 6.24-35

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Have you ever had one of those conversations where you and the person you are talking with just seem to be talking past each other? What each of you is saying is reasonable, and at least for a while, the conversation seems to make sense. Yet, at some point, it begins to seem that you are each on your own wavelength. And it becomes increasingly clear that at least one of you just is not getting what the other is saying. (It’s usually the other person.)

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