Bookends And Bread

14/6/2022

A Reflection on the First Reading for June 19th, 2022
The Solemnity of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Genesis
14.18-20

In those days: After Abram’s return King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. He blessed Abram and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him one tenth of everything.

Melchizedek stands in the middle. Abram in one hand and God in the other. He turns to Abram and blesses him. He turns to God and blesses Him.

Who is he?

Abram meets him while walking in the middle.

He has come from a failing. In fearing the power of the king of Egypt, he pretends Sarai is sister only and not his wife, to gain the favour of Pharaoh.

Coming out of Egypt, he is given a choice. Choose the select land that seeps of security, or leave it to Lot and look to God. In this moment in the middle, he casts his view upward, and God draws his gaze down and promises to give him everything he can see. Lot’s chosen safety soon dissolves and he finds himself caught in the net of kings. Abram gathers his trained men and his trust in God and goes and frees Lot and his kin. In bringing them home he meets Melchizedek. He meets a king’s blessing and gives a gift. He goes on to meet other kings who want to bless him with goods, shower him with a fleeting security that he leaves in the dust for the dawning realization that God has got him. And here in this middle where he keeps close to the One who called him, God comes and speaks: “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield, your reward shall be great.”

However, Hagar is around the corner and Abimelech is on the horizon. Grabbing on to a security in what he can see, Abram will try to fulfill God’s promise of progeny his way, rather than wait for God’s. Following fear into a familiar failing, Abram will return to relying on misleading a man to stay safe, rather than lifting his Shield.

God knows this bookend of brokenness, and so He meets him in the middle with bread and wine and blessing. As Jesus meets me. As He meets you. One hand in ours and one in His Father’s. He has brought the bread and the wine.

He is the Bread and the Wine.
The Body and Blood of Christ.
A gift.
A blessing.
A shield.
Priest and Prophet and King.
The Way.
The Truth.
The Life.
Come Lord Jesus and make us whole. Make everything whole.

Noreen Smith

4 Comments

Alana

14/6/2022 07:03:23 am

Amen Noreen! Thank you for sharing this.

“the dawning realization that God has got him…God comes and speaks: “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield, your reward shall be great.”

Lord, help me to “be not afraid”. Help me to always remember that You’ve “got me”. Help me to trust in You. And help me to always remember to raise my Shield. Thank You Lord for Your endless love, mercy, provision, protection, and healing. Amen. 😊🙏🏻💕xo

Noreen

15/6/2022 08:57:38 am

I need that prayer so much, Alana. I feel like He's given me a Shield that I leave strapped to my back while I run from things I should turn and face, Shield up.

Lisa

14/6/2022 07:23:20 am

I am so grateful that there are stories of real people in the Bible. People who in one situation can have great courage and faith, and then in another situation fall prey to fear and self-reliance. When I read this line, I inserted my own name while a list of scenarios ran through my mind:
“ Following fear into a familiar failing, <Lisa> will….<insert any one of my many failings>…”
But then I am reminded that this isn’t a bad place to be. It is in these failings that God draws near to me. As you said:
“… He meets <me> in the middle with bread and wine and blessing.”
Thanks Noreen! I needed to pray with this today.

15/6/2022 09:00:51 am

That's just it, Lisa. I could feel my name in the sentence too. I'm really grateful that Jesus shows me which of my actions are fear really fear fed little by little. Each time I lift my Shield, He joins me behind it cup and bread in hand.