Psalm Reflection: The Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle B

Before I worked in ministry I worked in fine dining as a professional chef. I loved the artistry and craftsmanship surrounding food, and I still love seeing the reaction on people’s faces when they eat the food that I cook.

The culinary world is a fascinating one. Similar to the Church, it stands on the foundation of classical methods, but leaves room for innovation where appropriate. However, when there is too much innovation that deviates from the tried-and-true traditions of the culinary arts, it simply becomes a gimmick. 

There is a lot of food that looks visually beautiful and innovative, but tastes disgusting. There are even some Michelin-star restaurants who have received the highest awards and accolades the culinary world has to offer simply because they have found new interesting ways of presenting and preparing otherwise unimpressive foods. It takes a true expert to know how to innovate in a way that honors a dish and allows the flavor to shine.

Joël Robuchon was considered to be one of the greatest chefs of all time. He passed away in 2018, having amassed 31 Michelin stars across his career, a record no one has come close to surpassing. He was known for balancing modern innovation with classical French techniques. Despite his incredible achievements, he once said, “there is no thing as the perfect meal; one can always do better.” Even the greatest chef of all time knew that no earthly food could ever satisfy us, there would always be something more.

The Psalmist this Sunday reminds us that the goodness of the Lord is something we are invited to both taste and see. Many things can look visually appealing, but taste terrible or cannot sustain us. Although we can see the goodness of the Lord in many ways in our everyday life, there is only one obvious way we can both taste and see His goodness: The Eucharist.

The Eucharist is the spiritual nourishment we need that goes beyond any earthly sustenance, and it can satisfy our hunger in ways no physical meal ever could. When Joël Robuchon said there is no such thing as the perfect meal, he was speaking from an earthly perspective. As Catholics, we already know the secret recipe for the perfect meal: bread and wine offered to the Lord in worship to become His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity for our salvation. It is the only meal our soul truly needs, and it can sustain us beyond the greatest Michelin-star meal, despite its humble appearance as simple, unimpressive, unleavened bread.

There are many flashy, high production value gimmicks out there in religion and spirituality. Do not be fooled into thinking that Mass and worship is about us and our preferences, or that it is something for our own entertainment. We come to Mass to worship a God who makes Himself intimately available to us in the Eucharist. We come to worship a God who gave His life to give us eternal life. No meal is more significant or life-changing than the humble host we receive, because it is Jesus offering Himself completely to us.

Do not take for granted the gift of the Eucharist. Many things look appealing but have no taste or substance. The Eucharist looks humble and insignificant, yet it has more substance than anything else we could possibly consume. Innovations and gimmicks quickly become stale and outdated. The Eucharist is eternal, it will never become unnecessary. Even in the Biblical depictions of Heaven, we see the authors of Scripture speak of a wedding feast, a communal meal of worship. 

In the Mass, we glimpse Heaven. We get a taste, an appetizer, or the main course that awaits us in Heaven. This week, prepare for the meal, and enjoy it. Focus on every moment of the experience at Mass and enter in with at least as much focus and enthusiasm as you would a Michelin star culinary experience. God gave us everything, He is worthy of all glory, honor, and praise.

Do not waste your praise and worship on the world. Save it for the only meal that matters.

I am praying for you, please pray for me, and I will see you in the Eucharist.

Matt

This reflection is based on the Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday, August 11th, 2024, which is the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle B: Psalms 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9.