Music: "I, myself, am the bread of life"?

[VociMike]

Going over the deep end aren’t cha?

None of the hymns complained about on this forum, like “I Am The Bread, Of Life,” say anything close.

Are you kidding? Have you actually been following this thread? How is us singing “You and I are the bread of life” any different than us singing “You and I are the way, the truth and the life”? There’s no difference at all. Both phrases are ones that Christ used exclusively in reference to himself.

I guess you have to think outside your own little box to understand the meaning of such hymns.

Yeah, outside the little box of Catholic orthodoxy.

 

[StephenB]

OK, going out on a limb here, but I have always liked this song. The actual words of the song are in italics, my interpretation below it.

REFRAIN:
I myself am the bread of life. (I’ve always assumed this to be spoken by Jesus)
*You and I are the bread of life *(we are what we eat - when we live in Him, he lives in us)
*Taken and blessed, broken and shared by Christ,
that the world might live * (the life of a Christian is to be Christ to one another)

VERSE 1:
This bread is spirit,
gift of the Maker’s love,
and we who share it
know that we can be one:
A Living sign of God in Christ.

(This bread is spirit has always bothered me a little, but not enough to throw the song out. I always think of it as the bread becomes Jesus, so His spirit enters us through it)

VERSE 2:
Here is God’s kingdom,
given to us as food.
This is our body, this is our blood:
A living sign of God in Christ.

(God’s kingdom can all be found right there in the Eucharist - once we eat it, He lives in us - He gave it for us, making it “ours”.)

VERSE 3:
Lives broken open,
stories shared aloud,
become a banquet,
A shelter for the world:
A living sign of God in Christ

We bring ourselves and offer ourselves with the Mass. Jesus takes it and turns it into a banquet, shelter for the world, refuge of sinners, etc … .

Alright, I’ve admitted it. I like it . . .

BINGO! We have a winner - Please move to the head of the class!

If one looks hard enough at any hymn, one can find a reason to be critical. (Maybe this is why Quakers don’t sing? )
Someone told me “Look Beyond” is a banned song as well because of the reference to the Eucharist being Bread and Wine.

Yep there are songs out there that belong in prayer and praise gatherings, and not at Mass, but this ain’t one of them. Thank you Gwen!

 

[axolotl]

If one looks hard enough at any hymn, one can find a reason to be critical.

We don’t have to look hard to be critical of hymns like this. we have to look hard to find a way for them to be non-heretical and in line with Church teaching.

 

[Walking_Home]

We don’t have to look hard to be critical of hymns like this. we have to look hard to find a way for them to be non-heretical and in line with Church teaching.

---

Double BINGO.

Take the following verse–what is it really saying. We offer our sacrifices and in turn–we receive a banquet. Isn’t the banquet we receive — our Lord’s Body and Blood. So whose sacrifice has replaced the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

VERSE 3:
Lives broken open,
stories shared aloud,
become a banquet,
A shelter for the world:
A living sign of God in Christ

 

[dbacks5439]

This is further proof we need the Gregorian Chant back in the Mass.

 

[jc-servant]

I just can’t fathom what posesses these people to write stuff like this. Are they not satisfied with the faith given by God, that they have to meddle with it unendingly? And the publishers, OCP, how can anybody continue to pay them good money for this rubbish? How come OCP isn’t out of business, or under serious examination by the U.S. Bishops?

Thankfully, I’ve never heard this song used. Everything published by OCP is not the same nor is it all written by the same few writers whom you appear to dislike. A lot of OCP music is not even written for use during the liturgy.

Some people will continue to pay for the good contemporary music that comes from OCP, and other people will continue to complain about bad songs that often date back to the 1970’s or early 1980’s. The horse has left the gate on the older songs, so I don’t see how they can possibly get all of those pieces of music back from the public or prevent them from being used. All they can do is try to improve their product now. The publisher has many younger musicians who began writing for them within the last 10 years who produce good music (with words directly from Scripture) for mass and other songs for usage outside of mass.

 

[StephenB]

We don’t have to look hard to be critical of hymns like this. we have to look hard to find a way for them to be non-heretical and in line with Church teaching.

Okay - please identify the specific heresy in either of these songs, if you would be so kind.

Are we NOT called to be Christ to one another? What exactly is it that happens when you receive the Eucharist? Do you become part of Christ or does He become part of you? (You see, I am not a theologian, in the academic sense, but more like Fr. Henri Nouwen says, “…union with God in prayer.” I keep Him ever before me, beside me, behind me…to paraphrase another writer…and I count on the good will of people who are inspired by God’s grace to reduce their adoration to paper and music.

As an experiment, in Mass recently I tried to observe all the things that people serving the altar were doing “wrong.” Man! What a distraction! Then on all the things the congregation was doing wrong - even worse! Next time I tried to listen to the words being said, and the actions being accomplished and allow the Spirit of God to lift me up through the experience of the Mass. Guess which Mass lifted me up out “of the toilet” (to borrow an earlier poster’s comment) that often is day to day life?

 

[gwenred]

This is further proof we need the Gregorian Chant back in the Mass.

Well, oops! I accidently posted a blank post, so I guess I better fill it in.

How you can go from one song you don’t like to “further proof we need the Gregorian Chant back in the Mass” is beyond me. I agree completely - we need Gregorian Chant - it should never have been so completely abandoned. But there is no logical progression from “I don’t like this one song” to “let’s just go back to Chant,” especially if you are talking about exclusive use of chant, which is how I read your post.

Thanks to those of you who responded positively to my earlier post, and thanks to those of you who disagree, but have posted your comments as general observations rather than personal criticisms.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Yeah, outside the little box of Catholic orthodoxy.

No, just outside the box of Catholic Fundamentalism.

From my experience, those who claim to be orthodox, are no more orthodox than the average Catholic. They are however, very much like protestant fundamentalist, who read the letter of the law, but miss the spirit of the law.

Jim

 

[Brooklyn]

I don’t know this song, and have never heard it, but it doesn’t sound quite right to me. Especially this verse:

Here is God’s kingdom,
given to us as food.
This is our body, this is our blood:
A living sign of God in Christ.
*
Our body, Our Blood*? I understand that some people say this just means that is Christ in us, but all I can say is that I’m a sinner, and I don’t want anyone to think I have anything to do with their salvation.

Christ did not say Our Body and Our Blood, but My Body and My Blood. Let all eyes turn towards Him. That is where salvation lies. If people see Christ in me, let them see only Christ and not me at all.

Please, let’s not change the scripture. Remember the warning in Rev. 22:18-19: “I warn everyone who hears the prophetic words in this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words in this prophetic book, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city described in this book.”

Christ chose all his words very carefully, we must use them exactly as he did.

Mary

 

[feargalmac]

OK, going out on a limb here, but I have always liked this song. The actual words of the song are in italics, my interpretation below it.

REFRAIN:
I myself am the bread of life. (I’ve always assumed this to be spoken by Jesus)
*You and I are the bread of life *(we are what we eat - when we live in Him, he lives in us)
*Taken and blessed, broken and shared by Christ,
that the world might live * (the life of a Christian is to be Christ to one another)

VERSE 1:
This bread is spirit,
gift of the Maker’s love,
and we who share it
know that we can be one:
A Living sign of God in Christ.

(This bread is spirit has always bothered me a little, but not enough to throw the song out. I always think of it as the bread becomes Jesus, so His spirit enters us through it)

VERSE 2:
Here is God’s kingdom,
given to us as food.
This is our body, this is our blood:
A living sign of God in Christ.

(God’s kingdom can all be found right there in the Eucharist - once we eat it, He lives in us - He gave it for us, making it “ours”.)

VERSE 3:
Lives broken open,
stories shared aloud,
become a banquet,
A shelter for the world:
A living sign of God in Christ

We bring ourselves and offer ourselves with the Mass. Jesus takes it and turns it into a banquet, shelter for the world, refuge of sinners, etc … .

Alright, I’ve admitted it. I like it . . .

This is my interpretation, for what it’s worth.
The second line of the refrain is a big jump from the first, I believe Jesus said “I am” and not “We are”.
The first verse is plainly wrong. It’s not bread, but the Body of Christ.
The second verse takes another jump and attempts to deify the people of God. There is only one true God.
The third verse takes away the true meaning of the Mass, Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary.

Originally Posted by PaixGioiaAmor

The fact that we are debating it says nothing about the song. It says something about the pedestrian, pre-school level understanding of theology that most Catholics have.

Our Lord told us to be like little children, so I’ll take what you said as a compliment, though it didn’t come across as such.

 

[BigFeet]

From my experience, those who claim to be orthodox, are no more orthodox than the average Catholic. They are however, very much like protestant fundamentalist, who read the letter of the law, but miss the spirit of the law. Jim

And just what is the “spirit” of singing heretical statements? Nice try at avoiding the issue by name-calling, Jimbo.

 

[VociMike]

No, just outside the box of Catholic Fundamentalism.

From my experience, those who claim to be orthodox, are no more orthodox than the average Catholic. They are however, very much like protestant fundamentalist, who read the letter of the law, but miss the spirit of the law.

Jim

Playing the “Fundamentalism” card is just an admission that you can’t argue your point on the merits.

 

[Bobby_Jim]

Theology aside, I just dislike this one musically.

I’m not a trained singer. There is music that is “easy” for a novice to sing - a lot of the traditional hymns, as well as chant, have easy intervals, and the melody goes basically where you expect it should go, within a mode.

Some of the more contemporary songs, including “I myself am the bread of life”, are just hard for the assembly to sing. I can’t quite explain what it is… unusual intervals, melody doesn’t really do anything predictable, somewhat unsteady rhythm. Might be more interesting for a musician or composer who gets bored with the same old same-old, but you will probably notice the assembly doesn’t quite sing with as much gusto - or confidence - on this as they might on “All Creatures of Our God and King” or “Alleluia, Sing to Jesus”, even if they don’t know the words to those ones any better.

 

[Conciliar]

The fact that we are debating it says nothing about the song. It says something about the pedestrian, pre-school level understanding of theology that most Catholics have.

Sorry I have been away.

Your elitist attitude toward the unschooled masses only underscores my point. If you are correct in your assessment of most Catholics’ understanding, all the more reason to see to it that the hymnody in the Mass doesn’t leave room for ambiguity.

Your take on the lyrics is that they speak of “what we are called to become… what we are figuratively…” but the lyrics say no such thing. You’re injecting your own knowledge into the words and making assumptions about what they intend to say. Taken on their own, the lyrics celebrate the congregation as being the bread of life.

*This is our body? This is our blood? * Do you really think this is solid catechesis for the poor fools in the pews? Or are you simply willing to write them off as being too “pedestrian” to be bothered with?

 

[JimR-OCDS]

And just what is the “spirit” of singing heretical statements? Nice try at avoiding the issue by name-calling, Jimbo.

Cept, no one has be able to prove that hymns such as “I Am The Bread of Life,” are heretical, but instead, have proven that the spirit of the gospel verse from which it came, is too spiritually deep, for fundamentalist to comprehend.

Jim

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Playing the “Fundamentalism” card is just an admission that you can’t argue your point on the merits.

Nah, thats the job for those who use the “I’m Orthodox, you’re not,” argument.

JIm

 

[Conciliar]

Updated translation of the Bread of Life discourse that reflects the spirit of the gospel.

35 Jesus said to them, "You are the bread of life; he who comes to you shall not hunger, and he who believes in you shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen yourself and yet do not believe…

41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, “You are the bread which came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘We have come down from heaven’?”

47 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. 48 You are the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. 51 **You **are the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which you shall give for the life of the world is your flesh." 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “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; 54 he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For your flesh is food indeed, and your blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats your flesh and drinks **your **blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats you will live because of me. 58 You are the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever.” 59 This he said in the synagogue, as he taught at Caper’na-um.

Silly? Yea, sort of, but this is what you get if you use the lyrics to this song as the key for interpreting the passage. Even the enlightened elite, assuming they have any interest in actually sharing their superior knowledge of Eucharistic theology with others, would consider this translation suitable for the task of teaching the rank and file.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Updated translation of the Bread of Life discourse that reflects the spirit of the gospel.

35 Jesus said to them, "You are the bread of life; he who comes to you shall not hunger, and he who believes in you shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen yourself and yet do not believe…

41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, “You are the bread which came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘We have come down from heaven’?”

47 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. 48 You are the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. 51 **You **are the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which you shall give for the life of the world is your flesh." 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “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; 54 he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For your flesh is food indeed, and your blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats your flesh and drinks **your **blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats you will live because of me. 58 You are the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever.” 59 This he said in the synagogue, as he taught at Caper’na-um.

Silly? Yea, sort of, but this is what you get if you use the lyrics to this song as the key for interpreting the passage. Even the enlightened elite, assuming they have any interest in actually sharing their superior knowledge of Eucharistic theology with others, would consider this translation suitable for the task of teaching the rank and file.

Of course the hymn, “I Am The Bread of Life,” doesn’t do this sort of gospel manipulation. The song takes the words of Jesus, as He said them.

Personally, what irked me about “I Am The Bread of Life,” is when they change the words to be politically correct.

Originally, “no one comes to me, unless the Father draws him.”

To “no one comes to me, unless the Father beckons.”

This change made no sense and ruined a good song, in my opion. When they made that change, I stopped using that song at Mass, when I was leading the folk group in our parish.

Jim

 

[Conciliar]

Of course the hymn, “I Am The Bread of Life,” doesn’t do this sort of gospel manipulation. The song takes the words of Jesus, as He said them.

Jim

Oh really? Enlighten us as to where in the gospels we might find these words.