SUNDAY, NINETEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
1 Kgs 19: 4-8 Ps 34: 2-9 Eph 4:30–5:2 Jn 6: 41-51
JESUS, OUR SPIRITUAL SUSTENANCE
Some of us like going on a trek to a jungle. One of the worst thing that can happen to us on such an adventure, is the lack of food or water. Food sustains us, nourishes our body and strengthens us on our journey. All of us are alive, because we eat and drink every day. When we talk about our physical journey the scripture of today symbolically reminds us also about our spiritual journey too. In the first reading, Prophet Elijah is praying for his Death. We see him desperately hungry. And the Lord’s intervention to sustain and nourish him, becomes his strength for his further journey to the Mount of God.
When we talk about our spiritual journey or in other words, our life of prayer. We see it as a journey in the desert. As we journey on, we will feel this deserted and dry feeling, where one finds no answer to his/her prayers, where one finds no happiness in his/her prayer life. And we can call it a life in the desert, similar to that of prophet Elijah’s journey where he desires death and for us here in our prayer journey, death could be dying to our life of faith. But God who is not willing to lose any one of his beloveds, does not leave us alone but rather sustains us in our spiritual journey by becoming our daily food. So, he tells us not to murmur about our struggles in prayer, because what we experience here is like the Manna which will sustain us here on earth but with hard efforts of collecting and eating but on that day which is yet to come we will have Jesus himself as our food, and union with him, will sustain us for eternity. And therefore, he tells us that he is the Bread of life that will give us eternal life.
Food is one of the main elements of human life. We hunger for a favourite meal and when we consume it, we are still left with some dissatisfaction. Some of us have been searching for something that will satisfy us, and we have come up short. Our involvement in social engagements and media makes us realize that we starve, we keep on hunting for satisfaction. Bread is still considered the main appetizer on the table shared by people. No matter how big the spread, it is only complimented and completed by Bread. It provides a significant portion of nutrients required for growth, maintenance of health and well-being. As Bread is considered the main food for human growth, similarly Jesus is our only spiritual food, who provides spiritual strength in times of trials, and guides us in the path of being his true disciples. This Bread of Life teaches us love and forgiveness.
Spiritual life is not an easy journey, that we can attain in a fraction of a second or a few hours. It is a journey where all of us struggle. Every one of us individually must discover our own ways of going to God in prayer and this journey of prayer is not only just for self-satisfaction or for our temporal needs alone but rather it is a desire for more of deeper union with the one who has created us and who always nourishes us through the Holy Eucharist. When Jesus proclaims, ‘I am the Bread of Life’, He is our real food, our bread, the Holy Eucharist. We were once united to him, but through sin we are separated from him and therefore in the second reading of today Paul reminds the Ephesians to not get rid of the Holy Spirit who is the grace of God. We must rather get away from all our sinfulness and remain steadfast in our union with God who is our lifegiving food for eternal life.
The Eucharist is an appetizer when accepted with utmost faith, nourishing not only our physical body but also our soul. It’s a beautiful communion with us and Jesus. Despite the physical comfort of physical wealth, we humans still starve for more. But with Jesus its always filling and the level of dissatisfaction turns into contentment. Jesus says the manna consumed by your fathers was to solve physical hunger, but the Bread that God gives, brings life to all. Let’s prepare ourselves each time we receive holy eucharist with sincere hearts and minds and receive this divine gift that provides us spiritual sustenance. Like Elijah was comforted, provided and given strength for his journey to the Mount of God; Jesus comforts us, provides for our needs and gives us strength for our journey.
Response: Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Copyright ©2024 ©Springs of Living Water http://springs.carmelmedia.in