Scripture for this Sunday: 1 Kings 2.10–12 3.3–14; Psalm 111; Ephesians 5.15–20; John 6.51–58
There is a saying: “You are what you eat.” It has a degree of truth spiritually.
The spiritual diet that Jesus offered fell upon many who were stuck on bread for a free lunch or on a spiritual diet that was less than nourishing. The sixth chapter of John’s gospel chronicles this process, which does not go well.
The narrative points inevitably to the Eucharist, in which we are offered the diet of Christ’s body and blood, to allow us to be transformed, for Christ’s spirit to flow within us.
Part of this is to seek wisdom, something associated with David’s son, Solomon. Yet Solomon’s response to God’s offer of gifts, is, in the original Hebrew, a “hearing heart.” How many leaders – how many people – today would seek such a gift?
Ultimately, what we consume will determine how wise we can be: consuming fear will leave us fearful; untruths will leave us untrusting; judgementalism will leave us intolerant and disappointed; a diet of our own creation will leave us unsatisfied.
But a diet of compassion, will lead us to be caring; respect, will make us worthy of respect; honesty will make us trustworthy; acceptance and inclusion, will make us healers; faith, will make us confident and hopeful; with love, we will become channels of love.
Fed with communion, let us pray for a hearing heart – to hear God’s voice within, drowning out the harsh voices that would draw us towards the will of a broken and sinful world, or the devices and desires of our own wills; rather, fed by Christ, may we let God’s voice draw us towards wisdom, to flow through our lives.
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