A Sermon preached by The Rev. Brian Raiche
St. James the Fisherman, Wellfleet
August 25, 2024
Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 16B
John 6: 56-69
Prayer:+ “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
My Story:
• I attended my first Billy Joel concert in 1982 when I was a sophomore in High School. That was also the same year I became the parish organist at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Merrimack, NH. Music and church have always been an important part of my life.
• I graduated from HS in 1984- (That’s my way of telling you I’m 58 years old)
Ronald Regan was President. I had wanted to go to music school to study organ and piano, but my parents and teachers insisted that I should become an engineer. I received a scholarship to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, NY so I decided that was probably what I should do.
• I became involved at the Chapel and Cultural Center at RPI. I was the Chapel organist and also did volunteer work at a homeless shelter in the city. That’s where I felt the call to pursue ordained ministry. RPI was where I learned you can be both a person of faith and science. Both continue to be important to me. The Chapel motto still informs my faith: “God is the measure of all things.”
• Just before graduating from college, I came home and announced to my parents what I thought was good news: “Mom, Dad, I’m going to become a priest.” Without missing a beat, together they responded: “Have you ever thought about going to music school?”
• After five years of seminary and an intern year, I found myself behind an altar for the 1st time. My first celebration of the Eucharist was a powerful moment in my life. Surrounded by family and friends, I began my life as a Catholic priest.
• At 33, I become pastor of St. Henry’s Church in Averill Park. 1600 families- I was the only priest. But we did have three Deacons. I’ve always appreciated serving alongside a Deacon. Equal orders, different ministries.
• There I meant Francis- a 70 year old woman with a profound understanding of scripture. She too struggled with many issues in the Catholic Church. Especially with the role of women in ministry. She had had discerned a call to preach. But there wasn’t room in this church for her gifts.
• One day she came to me after Mass and told me she was now attending the local Episcopal Church. I was sad to see her go but respected her decision. Eventually I ran into her in the grocery store. She said, “You know, with the way you think and act, you really belong in the Episcopal Church. You’d find a welcome place there.” It was an “aha” moment- but one I was not yet ready to act on. Some of you may have had the same experience.
• “Lets try to be more like the Episcopal Church.” That week, Francis gave her first sermon at church. You don’t have to be Catholic to know that allowing a woman to preach at Mass is a recipe for trouble with the RC hierarchy. I did respect the rules of the church and the authority of the Bishop, but I am also open to the movement of the Spirit.
• You can fill in the details. So, I followed Francis’ advice- I left active ministry, and after a long journey of discernment, I was eventually received as an Episcopal Priest June 2015.
Eucharist
Despite the many changes in my life, one thing that has remained the same:
My love of the Eucharist.
For the past five Sundays, we have been reading Jesus’ Bread of Life discourse from Chapter 6 of John’s Gospel.
When I looked at the preaching Rota here at St. James, I quickly realized that many more intellectual clergy have been preaching on this Gospel these past few weeks. But I’m getting used to that around here. Last week at St. Mary’s, we had 2 Bishops at church.
I’d like to offer my simple thoughts as a summary and conclusion of the narrative.
What did we learn from these past 5 weeks of John?
Week I: Miracle of the feeding of the 5,000.
5,000 people on the road for a nine-mile journey. Jesus saw the crowd coming toward him and to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?”
Do you really think no one packed any snacks for this 9 mile journey? Those of you with children or grand children- no Gold Fish or Cheerios?
Maybe they were hiding what they had- out of fear of not having enough for themselves. Jesus takes what a small child offers (5 barley loaves and 2 fish)- he thanks God and shares it. There is plenty for everyone gathered and even leftovers for those who will follow.
Inspired by the offering of the young boy, Jesus turns a selfish crowd into a generous one. The miracle is not only that loaves and fishes were changed, but rather the hearts of the men and women gathered there were also changed.
Foretaste of the Eucharist.
The next day the crowds ask Jesus: “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? Isn’t it odd, Jesus feeds 5000 people and walks on water, and the next day, the crowds seems to forget everything he has done.
Did they forget?
Or perhaps there weren’t paying close enough attention? Perhaps we don’t always pay close attention to what we are about when we gather to break the bread.
Jesus reaches the height of his popularity right after he has multiplied the loaves and fishes and walks on the water. At this point he has to flee the crows because they would like to make him king. But things begin to change.
• “I am the Bread of Life.” A little odd but ok.
• I am the Bread that came down from Heaven?” What?? “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, `I have come down from heaven’?” This is ridiculous.
• “Eat my flesh and drink my blood”— Cannibalism!
• Then he explains more deeply what the bread of life means- That gets him into trouble. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them and one who eats this bread will live forever.” He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. Eating flesh and drinking blood: This is contrary to the teaching of Judaism. Heresy to the Pius Jews he was speaking to.
• This is intolerable language. How can anyone accept it?
• Jesus goes from wonder worker to scandal maker.
This week: the Conclusion to the Bread of Life Discourse.
The Disciple’s Response:
• Not so much “Now we understand.”
• But rather, this teaching is difficult; who can accept it?
• I imagine many of us gathered here this morning, may also respond:
This Bread of Life teaching is difficult; who can accept it?”
The Body of Christ- what does that mean for us today?
Sarx- Soma
• In New Testament Greek there are two words for body. Sarx and Soma
Soma: Human person as good or neutral. Healthy; attractive; virtuous.
Sarx: Prejorative; negative. Human person: get sick, bodily smells, sin and death.
• Jesus uses SARX when talking about his body.
• Risen Body of Christ- Soma.
• Earthly body, “Sarx”- community as Body of Christ
Ronald Rohlheiser, in the book “The Holy Longing” puts it this way:
You cannot deal with a perfect, all-loving, all-forgiving, all-understanding God in heaven if you cannot deal with a less than perfect, less than forgiving, and less than understanding community here on earth. Both are the Body of Christ.
Eat his Body- Eucharist on the Altar but also
Eat his Body- the community. Be part of the community.
What does this mean for us?
Being part of this community is not easy but essential if we following the teaching of Jesus. But it can be a challenge. Here’s an example:
• Join a new church. St. Mary’s in Provincetown or St. James the Fisherman. Meet everyone- these seem really nice. Good community.
• Get involved. Join the Vestry, Join the Choir. Come to the garden conversations.
• You get to know everyone more deeply….
Disillusionment sets in
• That priest Tracey is ok, but I heard the new Rector at St. Mary’s Provincetown has real faults and short-comings. Just ask his husband!
• How did that person end up on Vestry? They have nothing to offer.
• You look around the room on Sunday morning and realize, My God, these people have issues.
• Then someone accuses you of being difficult.
• “That’s it. I’m outta here!”
You just walked away from the Sarx- the Body of Christ. That’s what Christ’s Body on earth will look like. We cannot bypass a flawed family on earth to try to relate to a non-flawed God in heaven. Community is a non-negotiable in Christianity.
So why belong to such a flawed church with flawed members? (All denominations)
1. Simon Peter gives an answer: “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life.
2. Community is a non-negotiable in Christianity. Not just God in heaven, but God is also on earth.
Body of Christ—- on the altar
Body of Christ—the people gathered
3. Hence a mature Christian spirituality is always as much about dealing with each other as it is about dealing with God.
I can put the Body of Christ in my hand; but can I also embrace the Body of Christ when it’s someone I don’t like?`
As Episcopalians, we believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist
Wow, that sounds Catholic- I get that all the time. It’s not.
This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?
For me, I experience the Real Presence of Christ here in this Eucharist:
• In Gathered community: Flawed as it might be.
• In Person of the Minister: Broken as he or she may be.
• In the Word Proclaimed- Christ who Speaks.
• In the Bread and Wine: Receive the Body and Blood of Christ.
Today when you come forward to receive Communion, I will say The Body of Christ, the Bread of Heaven.
I am speaking about the bread you hold in your hand- The Body of Christ.
But I am also speaking directly to you: You too are the Body of Christ.
The great power of the Eucharist is not solely that the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ but that we too are changed into the presence of Christ.
Saint Augustine: It is your own mystery that you receive. Say Amen to what you are! The Body Christ. This bread, this person, this people, The Body of Christ.
If we are changed, then we are obligated to change the world.
29 years as a priest, and I continue to be grateful to God for the gift of presiding at the Eucharist. This morning, I am also grateful to experience the Body of Christ in all of you gathered here.
And whether you belong to St. James the Fisherman or St. Mary of the Harbor or for some of you both, know that we are all part of the One Body of Christ. And we have much to celebrate together.
“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” Amen.