“Remember the journey,” whispers the First Reading. Remember! For forgetfulness is the root of empty hearts. Remember the desert and the mountain, the wind of the trails, how our life journey has had so many hiccups, and then the strength that came down suddenly when you no longer expected it, just like manna in the desert. God was there.
Remember your present desert among memories of some good old times now gone, but mostly, remember that it was because of those days that you have the strength to give thanks today, just like blessings that came in the form of an answer, a beautiful love, a friend, family and music—a sudden moment of peace opened to tell you that you are not alone or lost in the desert dunes. God is with you.
While our experience states that life slides inexorably toward death, Jesus reverses this inclined plane by showing that our life slides toward God. Indeed, God’s life flows, enters, and gets lost within ours. Herein lies the genius of Christianity: God comes inside his creatures, as leaven inside the bread, as bread inside the human, as the human becomes an instrument of peace inside a family.
Our life has touches of the Eucharist. All of it touched and loved by our Lord. Even the dark moments healed into thanksgiving – Eucharist means: to give thanks. That is why we are invited to a Godly dance in the Mass, one of forgiveness, glory, thanksgiving, and nourishment, and then, we may go in peace.
