Praise be to Jesus Christ

 

Let us greet one another: “Praise be to Jesus.” 

 

How did you spend your week?

May God lead us toward the path of true faith.    

 

We remember the readings from last week where Elisha and Jesus performed the miracles of bread.  In the first reading, Elisha fed one hundred with twenty barley loaves and fresh grains.  Jesus fed five thousand with five barley loaves and two fish.  

The miracles of bread foretold the Eucharist through sharing and abundance.  

 

In our daily lives, we pursue various necessities in this world.  Today’s first reading speaks to feeding the Israelites in the desert.  Many complained to Moses and Aaron of their hunger as they traveled in the desert.  God heard their complaints and sent down the food.   

 

In the evening, quail came down and covered the camp.  In the morning, dew lay all about the camp and turned into fine flakes.  Moses tells them: “This is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.”  (Exodus 16:15)  God understands the needs of the people and fulfills them.  

 

However, Jesus urges us to pursue spiritual necessities not just humanly needs.  Today’s gospel speaks to the bread of life.  The crowd followed Jesus not because they understood him but they wanted more food.  However, Jesus wishes them to pursue the spiritual food: “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life.” (John 6:27)  

 

Jesus understands the needs of the people but he also fulfills the necessary spiritual essentials: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” (John 6:35)  

 

We seek even, in our religious life, elements of necessity and pleasure.  They can be important since they are part of our lives.  However, as our faith matures we seek spiritual needs and substance.  The second reading tells us to put away the old self, and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.  Only then you will understand the enhanced quality and meaning of the bread of life.  

 

As you spend the next week, be diligent to your worldly needs but at the same time pursue the spiritual necessities so that you may enrich quality of life.  

 

Let us meditate for a moment.