“LAETARE 2023”
Saint John 6: 1-15
Oculi: 19 March Anno Domini 2023
Fr Jay Watson, SSP
The Sea of Galilee, renamed Tiberias for the so-called Emperor/Caesar of man’s empire, is traversed—“went over” by He Who made all waters; by He Who divides the waves so that His own can pass over on dry land—The Way; by He Who has re-named all of you with His Holy + Name.
It is normal and understandable to follow someone, to try and rely upon someone, that you know has helped and healed others in similar diseased conditions. But all of you follow The Lord not because He has taken away your sicknesses but because you have been convicted and converted by God The Holy Ghost to believe that this Galilean is God—your God.
Regardless of what LCMS teachers have said over the years, John chapter 6 is Eucharistic, i.e., it is sacramental. Now, to be sure, what happens on the mountain is not THE Sacrament of the Altar, but it is nonetheless “pointing-to” and serving as a foretaste of The Blessed Mass.
There was Jesus and His Disciples—the “12,” then and then later, on Holy Thursday. There is Jesus and one of His disciples here today to serve His other disciples.
In our text “the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.” Maundy Thursday was on the day of the Old Testament Passover feast—part of the Old Covenant which was transformed and superseded by Christ’s institution of The New Testament of His Body and Blood. And then, this morning, we celebrate that Passover into The Lord’s Supper—the victory feast of Resurrection Sunday—Every Sunday.
It is all about being fed, being nourished, having forgiveness, home, and peace “as much as they (you) would.”
You all know the miracle that Our Lord performed. It is one of Christ’s most famous acts even among pagans and non-believers. And it is incredible and very kind; sharing with hungry people is such a good thing. It makes you want to share your abundance with those less fortunate than you; especially during Lent. But John’s Greek uses the word “seimeion” which means “sign.” What Christ did was a sign of Who He was and of what He was going to do.
Yes, He would obey all of The Father’s commands to every one of you; commands given on another mountain. Yes, Jesus would suffer and die on the cross at Calvary; another mountain, for you! And you would be forgiven. And you are forgiven.
But the Incarnation. God doesn’t just perform miracles that make you stomachs stop growling, God, Jesus the God/Man is THE SIGN that is what the sign represents. His name Jesus means Savior. His designation as the Bread of Life; the Bread from Heaven; The New Testament Mana, actually is what is said of Him—He is literally your daily bread.
Those not raised or catechized as Western Catholic Christians, i.e., confessional Lutherans do not believe what The Bible teaches about The Lord’s Supper. If they claim to believe in the Scriptures, as so many of them do, they drop the ball here. They believe (at least they used to) in a literal 6-day Creation. They believe that Jesus was born of a virgin who became pregnant solely by the power of God The Holy Spirit. They believe in Christ’s miracles of healing lepers, walking on water, and raising Lazarus from the dead. They believe That Jesus Himself was “crucified, dead, and buried, the third day He rose again.” They believed he fed 5,000 men with five loaves and two small fishes. And yes, they believed He could and did change water into wine… but after all this belief, they balk at His changing wine into His Blood and bread into His Body.
Maybe some of them might be persuaded that if He did consecrate the Holy Supper on Maundy Thursday it was a one-time Jesus only miracle.
You believe, teach, and confess otherwise.
“Make the men sit down”
You men and women are seated listening and hearing The Word of Jesus. There is much green grass (even in this violet and rose colored season) in this mount. Jesus will soon take not “five barley loaves, and two small fishes” but a couple dozen wheat wafers and a dozen or so fluid ounces of white wine. Jesus speaks 2,000 years ago and that spoken word still does this morning what it did on the Mountain in John chapter 6, on that evening in which He was betrayed. The pastor doesn’t really speak the words, the pastor’s mouth allows Jesus’ spoken words to reverberate this day so that you can hear The Word of God and behold the Word of God.
This is the thanks that Jesus gave and gives, the true Eucharista. This day He again “distribute[s] to the disciple[], and the disciple[] to them that were [kneeled] down.”
I submit that receiving The Sacrament is the greatest 3rd application of The Law/Torah that there could ever be. Not a list of dos and don’ts from pastor; not a plan or program of self-evaluation with goals and objectives. No, to receive the pure, undiluted, Body and Blood of God, the true Body and Blood of Jesus is that fruit of faith which strengthens and preserves you in body and soul to life everlasting.
And after you have eaten, we will find “gathered together” all of you “filled twelve baskets with the fragments.” Twelve is the fullness of all Israel, all members/sheep of the Church Catholic. Only this time your King does not “depart…Himself alone,” but is with you until the end of the age.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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