Open Table, St John Waterloo, Sunday 11 August 2024
Trinity 11 – Gospel: John 6:35, 41-51
“I am the bread of life”
That is quite a declaration from our Saviour.
“whoever comes to me will never be hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty”
This was the first of the “I am” statements made by Jesus, recorded in John’s Gospel – setting out who Jesus was and also what he offered to those who followed him.
In calling himself the “bread of life,” Jesus invites each of his followers, each of us, into a relationship with him in which he nourishes our souls, just as bread nourishes our bodies.
He offers the spiritual sustenance required to live a life of meaning, purpose, and hope.
Perhaps most importantly, like so many of Jesus’s invitations to join him, it was open to all, without exception
“whoever comes to me… whoever believes in me”.
As queer and trans Christians it is a message that we embrace as it represents a powerful affirmation of Christ’s love for us
But it also, in a much wider context, marks the value Christ places on every person, whatever their background, however they have lived their life.
Jesus tells us that all are loved, all are welcome in his father’s kingdom, all may be saved from spiritual hunger or thirst, whoever they are. In this gospel passage, as in so many others, he subverts societal norms and extends grace and acceptance to those who are on the margins.
To me, Jesus’ message of radical inclusion tells us that, as Christians, we should follow him and open our own arms widely to the excluded and marginalised to offer them our love and support whenever they need it.
And right now it is more important than ever that we do this, as far-right agitators have taken to the streets targeting refugees and asylum seekers, Mosques and other places of worship, corner shops and pharmacies, immigration lawyers and support services.
With their message of hatred and violence, egged on by populist sentiment expressed by certain politicians and in elements of mainstream and social media platforms, they are the polar opposite of the joyous love and inclusion that Jesus preached.
This week, I joined a small number of curates from the Diocese of Southwark on the streets of Brentford in West London, who with other anti-racist campaigners, protected the office of a law firm with a specialist immigration and asylum practice, which was expected to be targeted by racists and fascists.
We carried banners quoting Jesus’s direction that we should “love our neighbour” and a reminder that Jesus was a migrant. Our presence, visibly as Christians, I hope demonstrated God’s radical inclusion and love for all people, as well as showing those who are currently living in fear of attack that we are on their side, that Christ is on their side.
And it is this kind of act of solidarity that Jesus embodied and which he foretold in this evening’s gospel reading:
“the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
pointing toward his sacrifice on the cross, where he would offer his life for the salvation of all humanity.
Jesus’ sacrifice is an act of atonement and also a profound act of solidarity with all who suffer. Jesus’ willingness to give his life is a model of radical love and self-giving that challenges us to stand in solidarity with one another, particularly with those who are marginalised.
By saying that he was the bread of life, by offering that nourishment to whoever comes to and believes in him, by offering his body to be that bread, as an act of salvation and solidarity, Jesus taught us how we should live, how we should offer radical love and inclusion, how we should stand shoulder to shoulder with each other and with others who are marginalised and excluded.
Jesus is the bread of life. Jesus offers himself to us continually, inviting us to be nourished by his love, his grace, and his presence. May we always seek him and never hunger or thirst again. Amen.
C. E. Lord OBE 