A reading from the gospel according to John 6:41-51
41 The Jews murmured about Jesus because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven, “
42 and they said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? Then how can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
43 Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop murmuring among yourselves.
44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day.
45 It is written in the prophets: They shall all be taught by God. Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.
46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father.
47 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.
48 I am the bread of life.
49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
50 this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die.
51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”
Reflection: Bread of Life
Good News: Whoever believes has eternal life.
Points to Consider:
1. Stop murmuring among yourselves.
• People murmurs instead of clarifying things they don’t understand. They love to gossip among themselves as they look down on other people. Their prejudices and biases prevent them from receiving blessings from above.
2. God sent His Son to draw people to Himself.
• By doing His mission, Jesus taught about His Father’s will and he promised that anyone who listens to Him will be raised up on the last day.
3. To accomplish His mission, Jesus gives Himself, His body and blood, to become bread and wine for the life of the world.
• We are not carnivorous but Jesus wants each one of us to be nourished physically and spiritually and that we may have life with Him and in Him forever.
• When we receive Jesus in Holy Communion, He comes to us literally and resides in every cell of our own body and unites us to His father. He nourishes us and gives us strength with His words of comfort. That is why we sing “Jesus is in you and Jesus is in me.” Literally, He abides in us and we abide in Him. How wonderful it is to be always reminded of this truth.
• Jesus offers Himself as food for the life of the world. He invites us to do the same. To be called His followers means we must also offer our life in service to others.
4. Jesus is the Bread of Life that comes from heaven and whoever believes in Jesus will receive eternal life.
• Let us be grateful for our undeserved bonanza of having the Bread of Life that brings us to eternal life. If we hunger for anything, let us be hungry for the real Food that only Jesus can offer.