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Thursday, June 4, 2020
A Prayer for Exodus
I am the Bread of Life . . .
We are named by God, called by Christ and accompanied by the Holy Spirit in our journey here on earth.
In John 6 Jesus feeds thousands with a few pieces of food. He mystifies his apostles, disciples and followers when he appears and disappears, walks on water, shows up, slides away, and explains the mystery of his mystical Body and the Eucharist. Almost no one understands. But there are those who believe, and perhaps this is all that we need do as well. Believe. Believe and enact this belief in the way we form relationships with others. But this can be so difficult.
When we become surrounded by a relativistic society where people decide what is right and what is wrong relative to their own wishes rather than going to God in order to make their best decisions, do we still follow Christ?
When we find strained interactions with people with whom we formerly had comfortable and easy relationships, do we still rely on God to see us through the tough patches of our journey?
When we discover an ugly truth where we thought there had been beauty, do we still rely on the Spirit to bless and grace us with patience and perseverance?
When we realize that we have been too stubborn or too narrow-viewed, too backward-looking, too prideful or too self-centered in our relationships with others, where do we go for sustenance and exodus?
What will we do when Jesus offers us the manna that sustains? How do we react when we see the door to a new and transforming exodus? Why do we fear that the Spirit will abandon or disappoint us as some of our best-loved have done?
When we search for resolution of strife we become too focused on ourselves and we miss the wonderful gift we receive each day: Christ calls faithfully and waits endlessly for our reply; Christ offers not only his experience as a fellow exile but himself in body to us . . . the new manna . . . Eucharist.
Too often we hesitate as we watch many of those around us move away from the Light and Truth which Christ brings. What will we do today, tomorrow and every day when the Christ asks each of us: Do you also wish to go away? Will we slip into the shadows? Or will we respond as Peter does, saying: Where else do we go? You have the words of everlasting life.
And so we pray . . .
May we understand that we are all in Exodus, from darkness to light, from sin to reconciliation, from separation to unity, from selfishness to selflessness, from fleeting pleasure to sustaining joy, from the old to the new, from slavery to freedom.
May we come to fully comprehend that Christ is this new freedom from slavery, this new light to the darkened world, this new manna in the desert, this new communion of bread and wine, this new voice and body of love among us.
May we fully express our understanding that when we join Christ in exodus, when we form solidarity as the early apostles did, and when partake of the manna that is Christ, we become one with Christ. We are that Christ.
Lord, grant us the faith to believe you, the wisdom to know you, the hope to endure with you, the love to abide with you, and the courage to join you in Exodus. Amen.
Image rfom: http://www.begrace.org/media/follow-bread-life
Adapted from a reflection written on January 25, 2008.
The Noontimes 