Man and Bread

“It is written: ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4)

God’s loving providence provides man with everything that he needs to live a fully human life, viz:

1.       Pardon

2.      Peace

3.      Power

4.      Purpose

5.      Presence

6.      Protection

7.      Provision

Provision of bread, #7 is one element of the many provisions in that category that man needs to live a fully human life.  Abraham Maslow's principle of hierarchy of human needs teaches very much the same truth.

Into your hands I commend my spirit

The Responsorial Psalm of today’s Mass is so powerful that I decided to have it as my Blog.  I hope it will also minister to whomever happens to visit this page.

R. (6a) Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name's sake you will lead and guide me.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
My trust is in the LORD;
I will rejoice and be glad of your mercy.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence
from the plottings of men.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Courtesy of:  http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/042412.cfm

Into your hands O Lord, I commend my family, health, finances, job, tools, food and future.  You will redeem me, O Lord, O faithful God.  My trust is in you; I will rejoice and be glad of your mercy.

Fullness of life

“One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”  (Matthew 4:4)

God’s powerful providence always and everywhere provides man with everything he needs for life.  If man does not live by bread alone, what else does he live by?  Because man is a composite of soul and body, he requires much more to satisfy his needs than only bread.  Man needs pardon and the consequent freedom from guilt; peace of soul to keep him sane.  Man needs the power that comes from outside himself to realize certain objectives.  If he has no purpose in life, his life will be aimless.  A purposeful life is a happy life.  One needs also to feel the presence of God in his life.  The world is full of hazards both spiritual and physical.  Therefore man needs protection from evil forces.  And finally, man needs provision of food, water, clothing and shelter.  No single individual can provide all these for himself.  The promises of God for a full life can be grouped under 7 P’s:

Pardon, Peace, Power, Purpose, Presence, Protection, Provision.

When Jesus says “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4), we recall the original text in Deuteronomy 8:

"Remember how for these forty years the LORD, your God, has directed all your journeying in the wilderness, so as to test you by affliction, to know what was in your heart: to keep his commandments, or not. He therefore let you be afflicted with hunger, and then fed you with manna, a food unknown to you and your ancestors, so you might know that it is not by bread alone that people live, but by all that comes forth from the mouth of the LORD. The clothing did not fall from you in tatters, nor did your feet swell these forty years. So you must know in your heart that, even as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD, your God, disciplines you. Therefore, keep the commandments of the LORD, your God, by walking in his ways and fearing him." (Deuteronomy 8: 2 - 6)

Maslow’s famed theory of hierarchy of needs teaches that man’s needs are more than food, shelter and clothing.  Unlike the animals, man needs intellectual, emotional and spiritual gifts in order to satisfy him completely and open the door to a  full life for him.  Jesus promises, “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”  (John 10:10)

If we trust God, He leads and guides us to the fullness of life.