Learing from the Guru - in the Eucharist

Different teachers have different styles of teaching. The Greeks used Peripatetic method: you walk with the teacher and enter into a dialogue with him, thus learn. The Hindus in olden days used Gurukula method: you live with the teacher for quite some time, some years and the teacher would sit under the tree and the disciples sit under his feet: that is how Upanishads, one of the core Hindu Scriptures came into existence. Upanishads means sitting under the feet of the master and learning.
Our Lord has a distinct method too. This method of teaching is so unique and sacramental in nature. We learn from our master sitting with him around the table: Eucharist. We come to the Eucharist to learn about ourselves. Psychologists, sociologists, philanthropists and the like study about human beings in their own ways, but Our Lord teaches us who we are in the real sense. There is no learning about self better than Eucharist where God reveals everything about us. God gives, gives and forgives and man gets, gets and forgets. Eucharistic docility is more than mere learning: it is loving and learning loving.
This woman did not want to be taught any theological disputes or philosophical knowledge from a learned man like our Rabbi, rather, she wants to cry in his presence and be consoled by our teacher. She had a very special lesson today on forgiveness from the part of the penitent. Master’s body in entirety can make wonderful lessons: His Eyes, his Heart, his wounds, and his feet. Most often these signposts are reminders of God’s unfailing and abounding love and forgiveness.
Everyone can learn something in every Eucharist that is celebrated even without the homily by priest. Every Eucharist is filled with riches that we go on taking from it, only if our hearts are set on the Lord. Peter’s heart was far off from the Master. Jesus calls him back to himself and gives him this beautiful lesson of forgiveness from the point of the forgiver: God. Jesus is preparing Peter for a greater cause.
Though the woman in the gospel takes away all the love and forgiveness from Peter, it leaves a beautiful lesson for Peter since it is coming from the Table of the Lord. I am looking at his eyes, heart, his wounds and his feet, what is he telling me today in this Eucharist? Am I docile to the teaching of the Lord? What am I taking with me today from this Eucharist? Amen.