Brethren, in the previous day's Gospel, Jesus was telling the crowd to always work for the food that endures and leads to eternal life, today's Gospel in a way reveals that food that lasts forever and endures to eternal life as Jesus Christ himself. Jesus told the people, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never thirst." Jesus reveals himself as that spiritual food, the true bread from heaven, the source of eternal life. This will become the first reason for the rejection of Jesus; how can Jesus give his body to be eaten? Many people as we shall see in the following gospels will stop following Jesus because he could not meet their expectations.
The expectation of the people when they asked for a sign from heaven was that, if really Jesus was a true prophet like Moses, he would bring manna from heaven and give them to eat. Little did they know that the bread which their ancestors ate in the desert was just but a symbol anticipating the true bread which was to come: Jesus Christ himself. Jesus telling them that he is the bread of life might have left them confused and with many questions on how a person can become the bread of life. However, it was an invitation for them to believe in him, the only son of God.
Brethren, this is also an invitation for us today, to always hunger for that bread and thirst for the spiritual drink. As we saw in yesterday’s reflection, in our lives, there are two types of hunger: Spiritual hunger and Physical hunger. It is only God who can satisfy spiritual hunger by feeding us on the bread of life, and this satisfaction is fundamental in our lives, without it even if we are physically satisfied, we are empty within ourselves. We can eat physically but, in a minute, we are hungry again but the bread which Jesus offers is everlasting, it gives us life everlasting, and we shall never hunger or thirst forever.
This bread sustains us not only on our journey to eternal life but also gives us the abundant supernatural life of God which sustains us both now in this life and for all eternity. Jesus gave us the bread and drink for eternal life as the Eucharist and when we receive from the Lord's table, we unite ourselves to Jesus Christ, who makes us sharers in his body and blood and partakers of his divine life. Ignatius of Antioch (35-107 A.D.) calls it the "one bread that provides the medicine of immortality, the antidote for death, and the food that makes us live forever in Jesus Christ" (Ad Eph. 20,2). This supernatural food is healing for both body and soul and strength for our journey to eternal life.
Therefore Brethren, let our hunger of Jesus Christ, the bread of life, surpass our hunger and thirst for physical food and drinks which we have everyday. Without this bread of life, we limp in our spiritual life and there is a high possibility of losing eternal life. We therefore have to do everything possible to attain this bread and pray that the Spirit will make our way towards attaining that bread very clear for us.
St Stephen, the first martyr, who is stoned and killed in the first reading today, hungered and longed for Jesus the bread of life and was filled with the Holy Spirit that gave him to overcome every temptation and challenges and finally died as a martyr and now enjoys eternal life. Reflect today on how deep is my hunger and thirst for Jesus, the bread of life, Does your hunger for bread of life surpass that of physical food or physical food is the priority? What stops you from receiving the bread of life, take it to God in prayer. Pray that the Lord will always feed us with that bread as a source of strength and courage on our journey to attaining eternal life. Let us also today imitate Stephen, the first martyr, so that his courage to die for the risen Lord may inspire us as we proclaim the Risen Lord.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, you are the bread of life. You alone can satisfy the hunger in my heart. May my hunger for you increase as each day passes and may I always find in you, the true bread from heaven, the source of life, strength, courage and the nourishment I need to sustain me on my journey to eternal life. Amen.
Be blessed forever and wish you Happy Easter Season.
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