You’re a Rockstar

Learning to see with the eyes of faith

John 6:30-35

The crowd said to Jesus: “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” So they said to Jesus, “Sir, give us this bread always.”  Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

          Do you know what a “double entendre” is? It’s a figure of speech in which one word has two meanings, in French, “double entendre.” For example, if I were to say, “Alex Dupree, you’re a rockstar!” Would I mean that she’s really an accomplished and famous singer with a band and multiple platinum hit songs? No. Wait, you’re not really, right? Too bad. But I’m using the word “rockstar” as a double entendre, and I mean she’s really good in volleyball and she’s respected among her peers. One word: two meanings.

          In the classic book by Homer, called “The Odyssey,” the hero Odysseus is captured by a Cyclops. Odysseus tells the Cyclops his name is “Oudeis,” which literally means “no-one.” Later that night Odysseus stabs the Cyclops in his one eye, and when the Cyclops runs out of his cave yelling, “No-one has hurt me!” the other Cyclopses think he’s talking nonsense, and ignore him. That’s how Odysseus and his men escape. Understanding double entendres can save your life, in case you’re ever captured by a Cyclops.

          In the gospel today, we see Jesus using a double entendre: one word with two meanings. That word is “bread.” Jesus says, “My father gives you the true bread from heaven…which gives life to the world.” The Jews only understood one meaning of bread – like the bread on your sandwich – so they said, “Sir, give us this bread always, so we don’t have to go shopping at Walmart for more bread!” But Jesus answers, “I am the bread of life.” And we know that we receive Jesus, the bread of life, every time we come forward for Holy Communion. One word: two meanings. By the way, in the first reading St. Stephen uses a double entendre, too. He accuses the Jews of being “uncircumcised in heart and ears.” I’ll let Nurse Williams explain to you what “circumcision” is after Mass and then you’ll get the double entendre. You see, understanding the double entendres in the Bible can also save your life, your eternal life.

          Boys and girls, I would like to suggest to you that double entendres can be like an “interpretive key” to help you unlock many mysteries of our faith. As you study your faith, look for one word with two meanings. When Jesus says we must be “born again” he’s talking about baptism, not literally crawling back into your mother’s womb and popping out again. (All the mothers just shuddered.) When Jesus says we must carry our cross, he means we do voluntary sacrifice, not that we carry a large piece of lumber around everywhere we go. When Jesus says we must eat his Body and drink his Blood, he doesn’t mean we take a bite out of his arm, but rather we receive Holy Communion. When Jesus says to use the “eyes of faith” he doesn’t mean you go buy stronger prescription glasses, but rather you see spiritual realities hidden in material realities.

          In other words, the eyes of faith will allow you to see the double entendres all around us. And then you will begin to walk by faith and not by sight, and maybe you, too, will become a rockstar.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!