Jn 6:30–35
The crowd said to Jesus, “Show us miraculous signs, that we may see and believe you. What sign do you perform? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert; as Scripture says: They were given bread from heaven to eat.”
Jesus then said to them, “Truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven. My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. The bread God gives is the One who comes from heaven and gives life to the world.” And they said to him, “Give us this bread always.”
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall never be hungry, and whoever believes in me shall never be thirsty.“
REFLECTION
“Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.” (Jn 4:15) Understandably, the Samaritan woman was tired and lazy in going to the well. The crowd wanted an easy life another shower of manna. Scarlett had the same experience. “As God is my witness, as God is my witness they’re not going to lick me. I’m going to live through this and when it’s all over, I’ll never be hungry again. No, nor any of my folk. If I have to lie, steal, cheat or kill. As God is my witness, I’ll never be hungry again.“ (Scarlett O’Hara, Gone with the Wind, 1939)
The crowd sought Jesus for the sake of the flesh not for the spirit. How many times are prayers offered for no loftier reason but to receive a temporal benefit? One asks a priest’s intercession for a successful business; another who wants a visa to another country goes to the church. “Jesus is scarcely sought after for Jesus’ sake. Ye seek me for something else, seek me for my own sake.” (Augustine, Tractate XXV, VI. 15–44)
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