May 04, 2017

Gospel: Jn 6:44-51
Jesus said to the crowds: ”No one can come to me unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise him up on the last day. It has been written in the Prophets: They shall all be taught by God. So whoever listens and learns from the Father comes to me. For no one has seen the Father except the One who comes from God; he has seen the Father. Truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.
”I am the bread of life. Though your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, they died. But here you have the bread from heaven, so that you may eat of it, and not die.
”I am the living bread from heaven; whoever eats of this bread will live forever. The bread I shall give is my flesh, and I will give it for the life of the world.”

REFLECTION:
Jesus is the bread of the Father, freely given and shared to all. This bread came down from heaven in obedience to the Father so that the world hungry for God would finally have its fill. We can say that Jesus is a type of bread that attracts a particular type of hunger. For not all hunger are alike. It is no wonder that this unique bread of the Father is rejected by many. He is not what they need but something else. Or sometimes they plainly do not know what to make up of their hunger. They do not know what would fill them. It is thus that Jesus speaks of the Father teaching people instructing them and making them aware of their needs. These are the ones who go to Jesus. These are the ones who will find eternal life. And so, ”if today you hear His voice, harden not your heart.” (Ps. 95, 1)