Bush Eucharist with Father Dave - August 15, 2021

There were three of us out at Binacrombi last weekend - myself, boxing champion, Nathan Nicholas, and his partner, Charlie. Unfortunately, Nathan wasn't up to doing any boxing he and Charlie were both able to join me for the Sunday Eucharist. :)

Our reading from the Hebrew Bible (1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14) covers both the death of King David and the coronation of Solomon, his son, as king. From the small section of the narrative that we read today, it all seems like a seamless transition from one great king to another.

In truth, both David and Solomon are ambiguous characters. David was capable of real piety but was full of problems too. His son was the most powerful king Israel ever knew, and yet he engaged in idolatry, and built his temple on the forced labor of the people of the north, leaving the kingdom primed for civil war by the time of his passing.

Even so, Solomon, we are told, was wise in the way he ruled, meaning that he was not just cunning but fair. I'd find it a lot easier to forgive our politicians their weaknesses and foibles if they could show a bit of Solomonic wisdom!

The second reading (Ephesians 5:15-20) is far more straightforward. St Paul encourages us to make the most of our time - not to check out by getting drunk or refusing to engage in life - but to actively pursue what is worthwhile.

Whatever issues Paul's audience might have had in Ephesus, his words seem very relevant to those struggling under lockdown.

In our Gospel reading (John 6:51-58), Jesus manages to offend his entire audience by telling them that they have to eat Him! "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day" (John 6:54).

Presumably, Jesus is speaking in metaphors, just as he did with Nicodemus (in John 3) and the woman at the well (in John 4) but when the crowd urges Him to speak more plainly, Jesus digs more deeply into the language of blood and sacrifice. Clearly, connecting with Jesus is not going to be a sterile intellectual exercise.

Father Dave
www.fatherdave.org
www.fighting-fathers.com