October 12th - Reflection

John 6:25-35 (NRSV)
God will feed the believer

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal." Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." So they said to him, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Reflection
Don't you get it? Jesus is material or flesh, but Jesus is also Spirit. This question goes beyond the material world that I can easily relate to. The questions leads us to the spiritual world. It's great how Jesus does this!

I think of bringing home the bread. Bringing home the money that provides for our worldly needs. Moses satisfied the worldly needs of the Israelite's in the desert with manna. But Moses didn't really do this. God did this. Moses was just the worldly vessel and the manna was the worldly representation of the heavenly act of love that God gave to his children.

Children that didn't have to do anything to earn the manna. All they had to do was receive the manna from heaven. And I too only have to receive the bread from heaven. The worldly bread is the heavenly Jesus. I don't have to work to earn it. All I have to do is believe that this bread is also Jesus. I receive Jesus not through my deeds, but through the gift from God and the heavenly act of love that God gave to his children.

Jesus right before us. Dispel the materialistic idea that we have to earn this to receive this. We have to believe this to accept this. That's it! Coming to Jesus and believing in Jesus are the same as securing spiritual satisfaction. The spiritual and the earthly elements meet in an act of love and a promise from God. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
How wonderful it is that you have come to me in ways that I can begin to understand it just a little. How wonderful it is that you come to me, I believe it and you change me. Make me into what you would have me be. Guide me that I too may demonstrate that act of love and a promise through earthly elements for another person you give to me this day. --- Amen