I’m almost certain I’m not the only preacher who has a difficult sermon preparation when this part of the lectionary’s three-year cycle comes to an end. I can see how I have struggled with it over the past years. Many times, there is a temptation to preach on a moral or a pastoral issue, or on a series of them. This year, I have decided to listen to this discourse a bit more closely, and to be patient with it.

We’re in the middle of the series of Sundays when this discourse is proclaimed. I believe that one of the difficulties with preaching about it week after week is that the discourse itself is a kind of carefully crafted sermon. The first part focuses on the Book of Exodus – he gave them bread from heaven to eat. This is part of the verse we sometimes use in Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, and that led me to think. Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament is a time for us to reflect on what the Lord does for us in Holy Communion; to be thankful for it and to prepare for our next Holy Communion. The Lord has been reflecting on the Bread of Life as the revelation of God. It is the same way that the Liturgy of the Word prepares our hearts and minds to receive the Lord in Holy Communion when we attend Mass.

When we reach the end of today’s Gospel, we begin to hear about the feast of the Bread of Life. It’s a feast that is devoted to us for the abundance of life. That’s the promise that comes at the end of the passage; however, for us this week, it is presented as a ‘pledge of future glory’ – there is need for preparation.

If you’re like me, and you’re anxious for these weeks to come and we can return to listening to St Mark, take heart. At the beginning of the first proclamation of this discourse, by the Lord Himself, there was confusion. They rebuked him, so he had to tell them to listen – “they will all be taught by God” – a quote from the prophet Isaiah. This is a reminder to each of us that the Father brings each one of us to Himself through Jesus through a close personal relationship which is devoted to prayer. We need patience, prayerfulness, contemplation, and silence for that. We will be nourished beyond our wildest expectations, transformed beyond our most lavish longings, as our Creator brings all things to Him. It is his great love for us that drives this, and it is that experience that we are called to experience as we listen to the Lord in the Mass during these weeks.

St Catherine of Siena reflects on this same theme in her reflections on Divine Providence in the dialogue. Seeing the devastating consequences of sinfulness on herself and on others who are called to the Church, she wonders how the fullness of life could ever be enjoyed by those who have deceived God’s great majesty by such weakness and depravity. However, she asks for a measure of His Love, to be able to contemplate with His Merciful Eyes. It was remarkable that our Creator made us in His Own Image, which was a remarkable gift we received. So freely did He create us that we have the freedom to choose sinfulness, which we did in our weakness. As a result, deserving we were then of the loss of that dignity. However, the same overflowing and superabundant love sought our reconciliation. His Only Son takes on our form so that he can be rejected and despised by us so that we can understand what His Glory does for us through that wonderful love. To eat that, we must listen to the Word. We have to watch and learn. This is what will transform the world – they will all be taught by God.