Immortality

One the deepest aspirations of the human race has been that of achieving immortality, of living forever.

From the beginning of time, people have dreamed of never dying. They have dreamed about living forever. They have dreamed about eternal life. And with each death of a loved one, that has dream become more and more of an obsession with people.

The 16th century explorer Ponce de Leon sailed to America in search for the legendary fountain of youth.

In ancient China, emperor Chin, who built the Great Wall of China, extending over 2,000 miles, is said to have a great fear of dying. One day his astrologers told him about an island paradise in the Eastern Sea, where its inhabitants had discovered the secret of eternal life.

Emperor Chin loaded several ships with priceless gifts and dispatched them to the island's inhabitants, hoping to trade the gifts for their secret. The ships reportedly found the island, but the islanders wouldn't exchange their secret for such trivial gifts.

Today, people still strive to be immortal. Just count the number of TV adds offering products that will supposedly make you stay young, feel young and look younger. People travel to Europe and other places for stem cell treatments.

And people who achieved positions of power will build monuments to perpetrate at least the memory of their name. We always hear people speak of "the untimely death of someone…" People always look at death as "untimely," because they aspire to live on and on.

When Jesus appeared in Palestine and began talking about eternal life, people flocked to hear what he had to say. Jews were especially interested in the after-life.

Since the time of Abraham and Moses, they were in the dark about what happened to the dead. They believed there was a "world of the dead," but they had no idea what that world was like.                                                                                                       

And so any light Jesus could throw on the mystery was welcome. And one of the most remarkable things Jesus said about eternal life is what he says in today's Gospel. Listen to his remarkable words: "I am the bread of life… that comes down from heaven… If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. The bread that I will give is my flesh, which I give so that the world may live." (John6: 48-51)

Jesus reveals that life in this world isn't the end of things.  There's another life to come. And that life will never end.  It is eternal life. It is everlasting life.

Is it any wonder that many Jews shook their heads at Jesus, especially when he said, "I am the bread… that comes down from heaven?" 

Is it any wonder that they grumbled among themselves saying, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? How can he claim to have come down from heaven?" (John 6: 41-42) We know he is just a man like us.

Only when Jesus rose from the dead did many of these Jews reconsider his words and took them seriously.

This brings us to the assembly here in this Church today. We have gathered together to hear the word of Jesus about eternal life. We have gathered together to be nourished by the Body of Jesus, the Bread of eternal life.

What Ponce de Leon searched for in America, what Emperor Chin sought in the Paradise Island of the Eastern Sea is with us in this church today - Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the fountain and wellspring of eternal life, is present with us now.

And like the Jews of Jesus' time, many of us consciously or unconsciously don't take it seriously. We think it's too good to be true. So many say what we receive is only a symbol or a reminder of Jesus. The familiarity and easy access can take away our spirit of reverence and proper respect.

The Second Vatican Council in its document, The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy declares: "Christ is always present in the Church, especially in the actions of the liturgy. He is present in the Sacrifice of the Mass, in the person of the minister… and most of all under the Eucharistic species." The Council continues: "Christ is present in the sacrament by his power, in such a way that when someone baptizes, Christ himself baptizes."

Christ is "present in his word, for it is he himself who speaks when the Holy Scriptures are read in the Church."Jesus is with his word. What he said more than 2,000 years ago to the people is what he said to us a few minutes ago in today's Gospel.

Jesus is with us in his representative, the priest. Speaking to the representatives, Jesus said, "Whoever listens to you listens to me." (Luke 10:16)

Finally, he is present when the Church prays and sings, for he himself promised: 'Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in their midst.'" (Matthew 18:20)

Of all the ways Jesus is present among us, his presence in the Eucharist has always been special to us Catholics. Jesus is with us in the Sacrament of Eternal Life. It was concerning this sacrament that he said in today's Gospel: "I am the bread of life… If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever."

In the light of all this, is it any wonder that Jesus said to us: "How blest you are to see the things you see! I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, but they could not, and to hear what you hear, but they did not." (Luke 10:23-24)

All we can do in the face of such a great mystery is pray:

"God our Father, you have given us so much.

Forgive us if we ask for one more thing.

Give us the faith to recognize the Spirit of Your Son

In the hearts of our brothers and sisters

In the church right now.

Give us the faith to recognize the voice of Your Son

In the words we have just read

And heard explained to us.

But above all, give us the faith to recognize

the Body of Your Son

In the bread we now prepare to break and share.

We make our prayer through Christ our Lord,

Through whom, and in whom, We will one day live with You

And the Holy Spirit

Forever and ever. Amen.