BELIEVE THAT I AM THE BREAD FROM HEAVEN.
I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE.
"When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. And when they found him across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
"Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled.
"Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”
"So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”
"Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.” So they said to him, “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written:
He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”
"So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
"So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” (John 6: 24 - 35).
Sunday 4th August 2024, in the 18th Week in Ordinary Time.
Jesus claims to be the Bread of life and then adds: If we believe His words and come to Him, hunger and thirst will be things of the past for us. To understand what Jesus means, we shall draw from two Scriptures.
#1. "... as truth is in Jesus, that you should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires." (Ephesians 4:17, 20-24).
Bad desires are deceitful. They corrupt the mind. Beware of all the ideas you receive especially through TV evangelists and advertising. They sow unhealthy ideas and desires in your heart.
#2. "One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4: 4).
Man is made of body, soul and mind. Physical bread alone cannot satisfy man. Man needs relationship, love, music, arts, sports, etc to satisfy his composite personality. God alone who created man knows exactly what satisfies man.
“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst." Jesus is talking about the Eucharist here. What proof do we have that Jesus can satisfy our human hunger and thirst through the Eucharist.
The first proof is His very words. He is God and His word is truth.
Let us turn to the teaching and experience of the Church on the Eucharist.
The Bread of life is the Flesh and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, given for the salvation of the world. This Sacrament contains the full Body, Soul and Divinity of the Savior. It is the Medicine of life and Food for the Journey to Immortality.
Jesus Christ presents the Eucharist in the Bread of life Discourse as a Sign. For John the Evangelist, a Sign is a Miracle, a Sacrament. The crowd who ate the multiplied loaves wanted more of the same. They misunderstood completely the "Sign" that points to the Sacrament.
The Church has consistently taught and defended the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist as received from Jesus. The Eucharist is a great mystery of faith. "Whoever believes in Me," will know the truth.
"The emptiness of My churches is an affront to My love, to the love that compelled Me to give Myself by the hands of My priests, under the forms of bread and wine, so that no one might perish from hunger or thirst on the road to eternity. I am all love in the Sacrament of My love. My Heart is open to receive all, even those who have in their souls no more than the faintest spark of faith in My real presence. Let them come to Me, and that little spark will become a shining flame, giving joy and hope to all who perceive its light." (IN SINU JESU page 214).
August is the Month dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Mary says: "In the end. My Immaculate Heart will triumph."
Honor the Immaculate Heart of Mary this August. For devotions, prayers, litany and pray requests, click the link below:
For Prayers of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Litany, Promises of Mary to those who say the Holy Rosary, etc click the link below:
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