Feeding the Soul: “Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever” (Jn 6:58)
Walking down the high streets of our cities today, you wonder, how our contemporary culture is so much obsessed with the human body. Even those traditional commercial establishments that catered to our basic needs for food, clothing and medicine have taken different forms. Grocery shops are giving way to restaurants, tailors are being replaced by designer clothes, and medical stores are adding on beauty products. What amazes me is the bourgeoning industry of body care and cosmetics. From the toes of our feet to the hair of the head, we spend so much of our resources to care for our bodies. The care of skin, hair and nails is no more just a luxury for the rich. Spas and Jacuzzi are becoming household terms. A few years back, I had to look up the dictionary for the meaning of ‘manicure’ and ‘pedicure’. I see other terms on sign-boards: teeth-whitening, tanning, anti-ageing treatment… I shall not go into any further detail in order not to embarrass you or to show my own ignorance about these matters. In any case, the impression one gets is that the contemporary society seems so physical in its outlook. Just as it tends to define the purpose of human life in terms of accumulation of wealth, success and fame, it looks at human life as only this-worldly, and equates the human person to the body.
I am not in any way attempting to advocate a lop-sided spiritualist outlook, either. As a Catholic and a Salesian, I do believe in mens sana in corpore sano – a sound mind in a sound body, and by extension, a healthy soul in a healthy body. I go for my regular walks, I try to eat a healthy diet, I enjoy seven to eight hours of sleep, and I do use my hair oil and body cream. But I am only asking myself: just as I spend so much of my resources – money and time – in caring for my body and even my mind (in reading and studying) and heart (in socialising and communication), am I willing to spend some considerable amount of resources in caring for my soul. How often do I consciously feed my soul? Do I set aside time and money to care for my soul on a daily, weekly or monthly basis?
During the celebration of the Liturgy of the Word these five Sundays we are listening to Chapter 6 of the Gospel of John. In the discourse following the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus invites the people to go from the physical bread that they ate to their hearts’ content, to the encounter with the Bread of Life! Jesus invites them – as he invites us today – to go beyond the fulfilment of our physical needs to the appreciation of the possibility that exists in Jesus for the fulfilment of the hunger of our souls.
Feeding the Soul: “Being filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:18b)
The first reading of today from the Book of Proverbs suggests that one who feeds the soul has embraced wisdom. The reading goes on to elaborate what is wisdom. “Wisdom is built on seven pillars and she has slaughtered her beasts” (Prov 9:1-2). If we have a look at the previous chapter of the Book of Proverbs there are two verses that seem to list the seven pillars of wisdom: “ I, wisdom, dwell in prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance[1] and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate. I have counsel and sound wisdom, I have insight, I have strength” (Prov 8:12-14). Similar to these pillars, and based on the words of St Paul (1 Cor 12:8-10), the Catechism of the Catholic Church lists the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit as wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord (CCC 1830-1831). It is not difficult to see the close relationship between Wisdom (of the Book of Proverbs) and the Holy Spirit.
Interestingly, in the second reading of todaySt Pauloffers a set of spiritual advice: “This may be a wicked age, but your lives should redeem it”. Finally, He invites us to “be filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:18b). In the context of our reflection, could we say that feeding the soul could mean being open to the gifts of the Holy Spirit?
How to Feed the Soul: Always and everywhere give thanks to God (Eph 5:20)
In practical terms, I suppose, the way of feeding the soul and being filled with the Spirit, is to be focused on God in prayer. Again in the second reading of today, St Paul invites us to pray always: “Go on singing and chanting to the Lord in your hearts, so that always and everywhere you are giving thanks to God who is our Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph 5:19-20). During the season of Lent, my sermons were centred on some methods of prayer that could help us constantly focus on God asSt Paulsuggests. I list some of those methods:
- Jesus Prayer: This ancient method of prayer simply consists in repeating this or similar sentence, “Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me.” When we keep repeating, the prayer becomes part of us, and we keep feeding our souls.
- The Examen: This method from the Ignatian tradition consists in pausing for a few minutes every day and reviewing the past 24 hours with sentiments of gratitude, forgiveness and hope. Where was God in the past hours? What were the movements of resistance in me against the movement of God? Where is God inviting me to here and now?
- Praying with the Scriptures: There are so many methods of praying with our Scriptures. For me, just curiously or intellectually reading the Scriptures does not necessarily become prayer, though it could be a valuable preparation towards it. In any case, just prayerfully repeating sentences from the Bible could be a simple yet powerful means of feeding our souls.
Finally in the context of the gospel readings of these five Sundays, we need to acknowledge that there is no food for the soul that is as nutritious as the Eucharist. And this is not contrary to what the first reading has referred to as the invitation of Wisdom to her bread or wine, or the counsel ofSt Paulto be “filled with the Spirit”. For it is the Spirit who invites us to participate in the Table of Lord: “Come and eat my bread, drink the wine I have prepared! Leave your folly and you will live, walk in the ways of perception” (Prov 9:5-6).
The Food for the Soul: “The living bread” (Jn 6:21)
I strongly believe that the Eucharist offers me the best means of nourishing my soul. When I receive the Eucharist, God in Christ becomes part of me, and I become part of Him. There is that holy exchange. I become aware that I am in the image of God (Gen 1:27). The thirst of my soul to go beyond the here and now is satisfied. I commune with God.
And yet, the challenge remains: I also tend to celebrate the Eucharist and receive the Eucharist as a matter of routine. I become a victim of habituation. My spiritual senses become numb to the working of the Spirit within me.
Today, being challenged by the Word of God, I would like to respond to the invitation of the Spirit to consciously receive the body and blood of Jesus. When the communion minister reminds me, “The Body of Christ”, and as I respond with the ‘Amen’, I would like to renew my faith in the presence of Christ in that bread. And may the Eucharist become the food for my soul. May the promise of Jesus become real to me: “Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever” (Jn 6:58).
[1] Pride and arrogance seem to be the beasts that have been slaughtered by wisdom (Prov 9:2). See also Prov 6:16-19; this text talks about seven abominations to the Lord.