Justmejojo’s Weblog

Tuesday of the 3^rd Week of Easter

John 6:30-35

The Bread of Life Discourse

Napoleon Bonaparte was an artist in war and his long succession of victories were the marvel of the world. One day some of his generals were discussing and comparing their master’s great battles, and one of them ventured to ask him which was the happiest day of his life. They wondered if he would think of the bridge of Lodi perhaps, the scene of his early triumph with the Army of Italy, a young general of twenty-six wrestling Lombardy from the Austrians. Or more likely of the ‘glorious sun’ of Austerlitz, the shattering victory which made him master of Europe.

The Emperor looked thoughtful: “Ah, the happiest day of my life? That was the day of my First Communion. I was near to God, then.”

The Jews always considers the manna in the desert as the bread of God (Ps. 78:24, Ex. 16:15).  There is also a strong rabbinic belief that when the Messiah comes He will give manna from heaven. Jesus claims that He is the Messiah and the Jewish leaders, in today’s gospel passage, demand that Jesus will produce manna from heaven as proof to His claim to be the Messiah. Jesus responds by telling them that it was not Moses who gave the manna, but God. And the manna given to Moses and the people was not the real bread from heaven, but only a symbol of the bread to come. Jesus introduces Himself as the Bread of Life. That ‘anyone who comes to Him will never hunger and anyone who believes in Him will never thirst.’ That He is the One who can fully satisfy our deep longing for more, more than what the world offers us. The bread which Jesus offers is none else than the very life of God. This is the true bread which can truly satisfy the hunger in our hearts.

One time when I was in Cagayan de Oro City I was invited to say a High School Graduation Mass at 7:00AM and the venue was in a gymnasium. It was Sunday. I was surprised to see a long line of people at the side of the gymnasium. I was thinking that they would attend the graduation Mass. And so I was a little bit excited and also kinakabahan looking at those people who would attend the Mass. I thanked God that even if it was too early so many people willing to attend. But only to find out that those people who lined up, they were going to buy a lotto ticket which on that day too was the draw and the prize was so big.

I was a little bit sad because they were there not for the Bread of Life who is Jesus but just for the bread and no more.

How about our children, what kind of bread are we feeding them? In many homes, the most affordable bread is that which comes from the television. Here is a modern-day translation of Psalm 23 which I got when I surf the internet that says: “The TV is my shepherd, I shall not want. It makes me lie down in the sofa; it leads me away from the faith; it destroys my soul. It leads me in the path of sex and violence for the sponsor’s sake. Yeah, though I walk in the shadow of Christian responsibilities, there will be no interruptions, for the TV is with me. It prepares a commercial before me in the presence of my worldliness; it anoints my head with humanism and consumerism. My coveting run over, surely laziness and ignorance shall dwell in the house and I shall be watching TV forever.”

Do we hunger for God and for the food which produces everlasting life?

Monday of the 3^rd Week of Easter

John 6:22-29

The Bread of Life Discourse

The prophet Isaiah asked this question: “Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what fails to satisfy,” (Is.55:2).

Jesus echoes the same question asked by the prophet, in today’s gospel passage, when He rebukes the crowds who seek Him for the wrong reason. They look for a free Jolibee, McDonald’s or Chowking meal food. They look for Him because He satisfies their hunger. In other words, their approach is purely materialistic. But this is understandable especially in a country, like ours, where 70% of Filipinos live in poverty and food is the basic need. That is why He says to them: “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,” (v. 26-27). Here Jesus invites His listeners to strive for higher realities. He preaches to them to work for food that endures forever which is, His Body and Blood, His Words and to do God’s works like: feed the hungry, give justice to the oppressed, set prisoners free, care for the sick and the elderly, save the unborn, educate the young, house the homeless and so on and so forth but only after He satisfies their physical hunger. It is because, as the saying goes: “You cannot preach to an empty stomach.”

Actually to strive for higher realities is practically present in all religions throughout the world. We are constantly advised to desire and work for things that truly count. Even Plato encouraged persistently his disciples to love the ‘eternal ideas’ and to reject mere shadows. In Christianity this is captured in the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus discourses: “Seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given you besides,” (Matt 6:33). And through these words He also refers to all God’s gifts, especially His spiritual gifts. And He prepares them to receive God’s greatest of gifts: The Eucharistic body and blood of His Son which Jesus starts to reveal to them.

There are two kinds of hunger, according to an author. They are physical and spiritual. Examples of spiritual hungers are: the hunger for truth, for life and for love. And only God can satisfy the spiritual hunger in our hearts and souls. It is because only Jesus offers us new relationship with God, that is, as somebody says: A life of love and service, and the forgiveness of others which corresponds to God’s mercy and kindness; a life of holiness and purity which corresponds to God’s holiness; and a life of submission and trust which corresponds to the wisdom of God.

Even preparing and having a meal at home, this is not only to satisfy our physical hunger but can even nourish our souls too. When we are preparing and having a meal, let us make it special always. Let it become a ritual. Of course before we eat our meal together, we shall pray to make everybody aware of the sacredness of what we are about to do. And when we eat together we gather as friends. Somebody said that we say to one another around the table that we are bound to one another by a mystery that transcends appearances. Even when we are apart we are together because we are a family or we are friends.

Do we hunger for the bread which comes down from heaven and thirst for the words of everlasting life?