Herein is disclosed an oxygen scavenging composition, comprising (i) an oxygen scavenging polymer comprising structure I: X—R—X—O—CH2—Ar—CH2—O,  (I) wherein —R— is selected from the group consisting of C1–C24 alkyl, C1–C24 substituted alkyl, C6–C24 aryl, and C6–C24 substituted aryl; —Ar— is selected from the group consisting of C6–C24 aryl and C6–C24 substituted aryl; and —X— is selected from the group consisting of null and —C(═O)—; (ii) a transition metal oxidation catalyst; and (iii) an energy-absorbing compound selected from the group consisting of microwave reactive materials and photoinitiators having a wavelength of maximum absorption of electromagnetic radiation from about 200 nm to about 750 nm. The oxygen scavenging composition can be used to form an oxygen barrier packaging article.