The Bread of Life and the Wisdom of God
As we reflect on the readings of the 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time, we are invited to reflect deeply on the theme of wisdom and the Bread of Life. These readings challenge us to follow the wisdom of God and to recognize Jesus, the Bread of Life in the Eucharist, to be the nourishment of our souls.
We often consider a wise man to be one who is “know-it-all” individual. One who can assert all by his own the possession of knowledge. The Scriptures on the other hand, assert that to be wise is to be in communion with another, to be conformed to the will of another. The original sin of Adam and Eve is initiated by their desire to be wise like God and so they ate the forbidden fruit, and this, in defiance of the explicit will of God. The personified wisdom in the Book of Proverbs (First Reading) invites us to come to the banquet prepared by the Lord. Wisdom is borne by eating at the banquet prepared by the Lord. Wisdom is a communion.
This call to wisdom is echoed in the second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Paul urges the community to live not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of their time because “the days are evil.” He encourages them to understand the will of the Lord and to be filled with the Spirit, living lives of gratitude, prayer, and mutual encouragement. Paul’s words remind us that wisdom is not just about knowledge or intellect but about aligning our lives with God’s will. True wisdom leads us to live in a way that reflects God’s love, and it draws us into deeper communion with Him and with one another.
The Gospel reading from John brings the themes of wisdom and the Bread of Life together completion. Jesus continues His discourse on the Bread of Life, declaring, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” This statement was shocking to many of His listeners, and it still challenges us today. Jesus is not speaking merely in symbolic terms; He is offering His very self as the true food that sustains and gives eternal life.
The Eucharist that we receive during Holy Mass is not mere symbolic but what is considered by the Church as the definitive teaching on the Real Presence of Christ— body, blood, soul and divinity. The Church called this “transubstantiation” (Council of Trent, Sess. 1 3, c. 4; Paul VI, Mysterium fidei, nn. 1 0-1 1 ; CCC n. 1 41 3). This means that after the words of consecration, the substance of the bread and wine are no longer present but rather the substance of Christ’s body, blood, soul and divinity. Only the sensible elements (species) remain. This is the reason why in the Gospel, Jesus did not explain away the clear understanding of his listeners that he was offering them literally his flesh and blood. He is not speaking symbolically or figuratively. That is why they acknowledge that Jesus is affirming a hard saying to accept.
In this passage, Jesus emphasizes the importance of the Eucharist. When we receive the Eucharist, we are not just performing a ritual or remembering a past event. We are participating in the very life of Christ, receiving Him fully—body, blood, soul, and divinity. The Eucharist is the ultimate feast of wisdom, where we are nourished by the very presence of God. It transforms us, deepens our union with Christ, and strengthens us to live out the wisdom that Proverbs and Paul speak of.
But Jesus’ teaching also invites us to a deeper reflection on what it means to truly “eat this bread.” It’s more than just receiving the Eucharist at Mass. It’s about allowing the presence of Christ to permeate every aspect of our lives. When we eat this bread, we are called to become what we receive: to be Christ’s presence in the world, to live with the wisdom, love, and compassion that He embodies.
Today’s readings ask us to consider: How are we responding to God’s invitation to the feast of wisdom? Are we seeking to align our lives with God’s will, to live as wise and Spirit-filled people? And when we approach the Eucharist, do we do so with the awareness that we are receiving the very life of Christ, a gift that calls us to transformation and mission?
-Rev. Fr. Martin M. Fonte, FFI
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