The Word God Spells

John 6: 35-40
Acts 8: 1b-8 / Ps 66: 1-7

I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
(John 6:35)

In Jesus we shall not hunger,
If in faith we do not resist;
God’s love in Him we discover,
Receive Him in the Eucharist.

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me. And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that He has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Reflection

Earlier in this chapter of John’s Gospel, Jesus performed a great miracle of feeding five thousand hungry people from five barley loaves and two fish, and even had twelve wicker baskets left over. Having fed them, Jesus and His disciples traveled on to another place, but the crowds still followed Him. Jesus admonished them, saying, “You are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you” (Jn.6:26-27).

In the Old Testament, the Israelites were sustained by manna coming from heaven in their travel from Egypt to the Promised Land. Jesus, the fulfillment of God’s Word, assured His and the succeeding generations (of Christians) that God would always provide the temporal and spiritual nourishment that we need in our journey to God’s Promised Land in heaven provided we believe in Him.

Today we see this promise fulfilled in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, which gives us spiritual sustenance and strength. As He said in the Gospel of Matthew, “I am with you always until the end of time” (Mt. 28:20). Our Lord Jesus will always be with us in the Holy Eucharist. We should receive Him as often as we can if we want Him always to be present in our life.

Lord God, You give us sustenance and strength that we need in our journey to Your kingdom through the Bread of Life, Your own Son, Jesus Christ. Grant that we may always have the opportunity to receive Him in the sacrifice of the Holy Mass. Amen.