Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. In today's Gospel, Jesus mentions our ancestors who ate manna, a food understood to be perishable, in the desert. Father Dave compares the Eucharist to Twinkies, a food that does not perish. He also contrasts the Bread of Life with Black Friday, a time when people tend to be self-interested and act uncharitably towards others. Rather, the Eucharist is a communal meal and brings us together. Preached at Saint Paul the Apostle Church, New York City, on 8-5-18