What is it?
The morning sun rose in the desert wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula where the Israelites were encamped – and they woke up hungry…again. Just the previous day the entire community had complained, grumbling against Moses and Aaron for lack of bread. In so many words, they said it would be better to have died in Egypt as slaves with a full belly of bread than to die of famine in the desert!
But this morning was surprisingly different. Imagine the members of the community emerging from their tents – watching the sun burn off the morning dew. And today, instead of mere desert sand there is something very mysterious on the ground – fine flakes that looked like hoarfrost. Baffled, they turned to Moses asking, “What is it?”
In our first reading today from Exodus Moses explains: “When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.” Exodus 16:15
The mysterious substance was called “man hu” which is Hebrew for “What is it?” Man hu (manna) fell six days of the week (On the day before the Sabbath a double portion fell). And the LORD provided manna for Israel, the daily “bread from heaven” throughout the entire 40 years of desert wandering.
The daily manna was a miracle, in spite of two modern skeptical theories that deny its miraculous nature. Ignoring the important details of the biblical text, cynics have identified manna as either a “secretion” from the tamarisk tree, or the result of “excretions” deposited on the tree from two species of insects in the Sinai region.
In his meticulously researched book, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist, Dr. Brant Pitre identifies four reasons why a skeptical, naturalist explanation of manna is inadequate. Taken together these reasons provide a solid basis that the desert manna was indeed miraculous. Dr. Pitre first points out that the people recognized manna as “bread from heaven”. Second, no matter how much or little was gathered it always measured out to be an omer (liter). Third, the manna lasted for 40 years and abruptly stopped when Israel entered the promised land. Finally, the Israelites did not know what the substance was. If it was a natural “secretion” or “excretion” on the tamarisk tree, the Israelites would have certainly known that. They would not have asked, “What is it?” Even the children were familiar with the tamarisk tree.
There is another compelling reason that refutes the “secretion/excretion” theory: The sparseness of tamarisk trees in the Sinai wilderness encampments were insufficient to produce enough to feed the hundreds of thousands of Israelites. Truly, skepticism is harder to believe than the miracle itself!
Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.” In today’s Gospel, Jesus proclaims, “I am the bread of life.” He would go on to deliver what even his disciples called a ‘hard saying’: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.”
We have heard these words so many times, especially throughout the Eucharistic Revival which began back in July of 2022 and culminated in the recent National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, Indiana. The miracle of manna foreshadows the miracle of the Eucharist, and our rich Catholic tradition abounds with numerous accounts of Eucharistic miracles. These miracles demonstrate the reality – the real presence of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Bishop Boyea’s insightful and challenging Road to Emmaus series has led us to walk along side of Jesus, listen to his Word, and emulate his love. And now we have a much clearer and resounding answer for those who might ask us, “What is it?”
Actually, the question is, “Who is it?” The answer: “Jesus, Son of the Living God, King of King and Lord of Lords!”
God bless
+Deacon Dave