WEDNESDAY, THIRD WEEK OF EASTER
Acts 8: 1-8; Ps 66: 1-7; Jn 6: 35-40
ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR THE BREAD OF ETERNAL LIFE?
The Gospel passage today tells us, of the only way to be with the heavenly father is the way through Jesus Christ. The gospel passage is from the discussion that Jesus has with the crowd who followed him across the sea. In the conversation, bread is used as imagery. The crowd considered bread as the means to satisfy physical hunger. On the other hand, Jesus applies this image of bread to provide to them with a deeper knowledge about him. “I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me will never go hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty.” Through these words, Jesus wants them to understand that he is the true bread which will offer them life everlasting. Saint Ambrose puts it in these words. “This is the Bread of everlasting life which supports the substance of our soul.”
Jesus desires to draw all those who want to build a profound relationship with him. The invitation to accept Jesus as the bread of life is to everyone irrespective of caste, colour, or creed. This invitation to all is the will of the heavenly Father for Jesus says “For this is the will of my Father—for everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him to have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” Everyone is offered a welcome, to be part of the banquet which Jesus sets before us in the form of the Holy Eucharist.
“Jesus has made Himself the Bread of Life to give us life. Night and day, He is there. If you want to grow in love, come back to the Eucharist, come back to that adoration.” said Saint Teresa of Kolkata. Yes, Jesus is truly living in the Blessed Sacrament. He makes himself available to us to satisfy our spiritual hunger. For a Christian, death is not an end, it is a starting point to eternal life and that is possible only through Jesus. Bl. Carlo Acutis understood the real meaning of bread, so he expressed it in these words. “The Eucharist is my highway to Heaven”.
Response: Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.
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