Sunday, August 19, 2012

20th Ordinary Sunday, Year B, 19.08.2012


Proverbs 9:1-6/ Ephesians 5:15-20/ John 6:51-58

Two dots on a piece of paper can be joined by a line.                     

In our minds, we would presume that the line would be a straight line, meaning to say that a ruler would be placed between the two dots, and a straight line would be drawn across to join the two dots.

Especially in technical drawing, a line is usually a straight line. 

But that’s on paper, and we are talking about technical drawings.

But in life, lines may not be that straight, and the lines of life weave in and out of the various aspects of life.

For example, the line that divides the rich and the poor is not a pencil-thin line, but a large grey area. The question is how rich is rich and poor is poor?

Or the line between good and bad. Again, the question is how good is good and how bad is bad?

And the line between wisdom and foolishness may also not be so clear at times.

It is said that wise men talk because they have something to say, whereas fools talk because they have to say something.

Indeed, there is a difference between having something to say, and having to say something.

Yet is also said that, never argue with a fool, because people may not know the difference.                               

In other words, only fools argue with each other.

In the gospel, we heard that the people were arguing with one another.

They were arguing about this – How can this man (Jesus) give us his flesh to eat?

Jesus said that He is the living bread, and that the bread He shall give is His flesh for the life of the world!

The main point of the people’s argument is just those two words : How can? (How can this man give us his flesh to eat?)

And if we were around at that time when Jesus said those words, what would our reaction be?

Most likely than not, we are also going to say “How can?”

As a matter of fact, the ignorant and the foolish will be quick to say “How can?” to what they do not understand.

And even if the majority says the same thing, it doesn’t mean that they are right.

So even if fifty million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.

Well, six centuries before Christ, there was a Greek philosopher and mathematician by the name of Pythagoras. From him we got the Pythagoras theorem.

He was the first man to say that the world was round.

The people at that time ridiculed him and also said “How can?”

Now, if we were there, six centuries before Christ, and we hear him saying that the world was round, what would our reaction be?

Would we say “How can the world be round?” (because our eyes see it as flat!)

Or would we ever dare to say “Why can’t the world be round?” and then get shot with all kinds of ridicules.

Indeed, to challenge the foolishness of this world, we need a lot of courage and wisdom.

It is easier to say “How can?” and stay with the majority; it is not that easy to say “Why cannot?” and then be ridiculed for being foolish.

Yet the 1st reading reminds us that as we partake of the Eucharist, we partake of the bread of life, and in doing so, we must live our lives with wisdom and leave the folly of foolishness.

The 2nd reading also tells us the same thing – to be careful about the sort of lives we lead, to be wise and not be like foolish people.

So practically what does that mean? Well the 2nd reading continues by saying that this may be a wicked age, but our lives should redeem it.

We have been told to study hard and to work hard, so that we can do well in life.

Now, what does “do well in life” means?

Obviously to do well in life means that we are going upwards in life, we are successful at work, we are well-off, we are somebody in somewhere that people look up to and admire.

Yes, the world talks about doing well in life. But those who are wise will talk about doing good in life.

And the line between doing well and doing good is parallel to the line between foolishness and wisdom.

In other words, what is the point of doing well in life, if we are not doing any good in life?

In choosing to live by the wisdom from God, we will want to do good in life, and by our lives lived in wisdom, we will redeem the world of its foolishness.

So it’s not with a foolish cynical attitude that we ask “How can we redeem the world with our lives?”

Rather, we will seriously think about how to live wisely in this world of foolishness and wickedness.

Some of us may know who Sam Plimsoll is. He lived during the 19th century (1824 – 1898).

He started his working life as a lowly clerk in England, and he was doing well and rising up the ranks.

Then misfortune struck him and he was reduced to destitution.

But empty pockets and empty stomachs will help you learn a million good things about life.

Sam Plimsoll learned from his poverty and he set off to do good in life, and he also did quite well in life.

He directed his efforts against what was known as the “coffin ships” at that time.

“Coffin ships” was the term given to unseaworthy and overloaded ships which were often heavily insured by greedy and unscrupulous owners.

Needless to say, many ships sank and many lives were lost. And that was evil and wicked.

When Sam Plimsoll challenged the mighty and arrogant shipping industry, his peers ridiculed him by saying “How can? How can you alone challenge the mighty shipping industry?”

Sam Plimsoll wisely replied : Why can’t we just paint a line on the hull of each ship, to indicated whether the ship was overloaded or not?

After much lobbying, the “Plimsoll line”, as it was called, became a standard feature on all ships, and remains so today.

It’s just a line, but it saved lives. It’s just a line but it divides good and evil. It’s just a line, but it made the difference between wisdom and foolishness.

So do our lives have a line that distinguishes what is wisdom and what is foolishness?

Do our hearts have a line that tells us what is good and what is evil?

The bread that Jesus gives us is the bread of life. May we not only do well in life, may we also do good, and redeem the world with our lives.