Homily for August 1-2, 2009 Signs, signs

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time John 6:24-35


Look at almost any corner, and what do you see? A big purple sign that says: friendly K & B. Ah yes, quite a familiar sign to many New Orleanians for decades. K & B was the cities most popular drugstore; but alas, it ain’t there no more. We were used to many other signs too: Schwegmann’s; where you could make your groceries, D.H. Holmes, Jax Beer or Falstaff, how about Hibernia Bank or McKenzie’s or even Tulane Stadium. Signs bearing names of these New Orleans landmarks no longer dot the cities byways and highways.

Oh there are plenty of signs still. Signs tell us so many different things: the speed limit, how many more miles to a certain exit, ads for everything from the Powerball to go Saints go! Signs tell us what to do, what not to do and sometimes how to do it. We can follow the signs to so many destinations. We can read signs inviting us to purchase almost anything. As the old song from the 70’s says: signs, signs everywhere a sign, blocking out the scenery, breaking my mind, do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?

What are some of your favorite signs? Perhaps you have fond memories of an old sign or still look forward to seeing a sign that gives you some sort of joy. Perhaps we have simply grown accustomed to signs that appeal to our immediate needs, to our sense of instant gratification.

As people of faith, are we looking for a sign or do we even demand a sign? Are we looking for signs that address our deepest spiritual hopes or simply signs that satisfy our physical needs?

As we continue on our journey through the sixth chapter of John, we arrive at the scene where the crowd follows and finds Jesus not long after He fed them with the five loaves and two fish. And Jesus clearly calls them out, telling them that you have not followed me because of the signs, but because I gave you food. They simply wanted more food, more material things, more physical comforts. Jesus wants the crowds, and ultimately us too, to completely trust in Him, to believe in Him and to acknowledge that all our needs; physical and spiritual come from God, our heavenly father.

Jesus reminds the crowds of Moses and the manna that God sent to the Israelites that sustained them as they crossed the desert. And this bread, the manna, did indeed sustain them. And it was sent to them by God.

God now sustains us with the Bread from Heaven; Jesus’ body broken and blessed and fed to us. This is the Eucharist. And of this Bread Jesus declares: I am the Bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger! This is the first public pronouncement by Jesus of the Eucharist. He is not talking here of a sign or a mere symbol; No. He is talking of the living sacrifice and communion in His own body and blood, which sustains us and leads us to eternal life.

So what does this mean for us today? Jesus tells the crowd to believe and so He asks us today: do you believe? Do you believe in the real, true presence of His Body & Blood when we approach and receive the host and chalice? Do we believe that it is not what we eat but He who gave Himself to us that we receive? Do we believe that we should receive him worthily by availing ourselves of Reconciliation often? Do we believe by being attentive to His word; both when proclaimed at Mass and in time spent reading Scripture during the week? Do we believe by being attentive to our brothers and sisters in Christ? Do we believe by donating food to the food bank or helping a neighbor or comforting a friend in need? Do we believe? Even if we can answer yes this day, let’s not forget the words from the Gospel of St. Mark: Lord, I believe but help my unbelief. Yes, we may have doubts, but in faith, believe, believe!

Yes, signs, signs, everywhere signs block up my scenery and blow my mind. But the sign that we need is our belief; our belief in Him and in His presence in the Eucharist.

Next time I round any corner, and I look up to see; no; I don’t need a purple sign that says friendly K&B. I’ll look for Him and say; thank you Jesus; for coming to save and rescue me.