All That We Need

~~~ Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~~ Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15 ~~~ Psalm 78 ~~~

~~~ Ephesians 4:17, 20-24 ~~~ John 6:24-35 ~~~ 

Do not work for food that perishes

but for the food that endures for eternal life

God fed Moses and the people in during their desert journey.

He sent them quail in the evening and flakes of manna every morning.

I can think of a few kids who would love to wake up 

every morning with cereal flakes covering

 their yard or better yet their bedroom.

God did not abandon his chosen people.

He provided for their daily nourishment directly from heaven.

Each day they were given more than they needed.

God is lavish with his abundance.

But Moses told them,

“This is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.”

The manna from heaven foreshadows the bread of life

which Jesus brought to us...his very own flesh and blood.

...the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven

and gives life to the world.”

Paul reminds us to put away the old self...your former way of life.

It is time for the new...time to be renewed in the spirit.

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.”

Who could ask for anything more from God?

The body will perish but the soul,

fed by the Bread of Life

from Jesus Christ

will live forever.

God alone is enough.

Do you treasure the gift you have in the Eucharist?

Ponder that in your heart today.

We are so Blessed.

It is beyond comprehension.

~~~Peace~~~

Jesus...Bread of Life

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

~~~ 1 Kings 19:4-8 ~~~ Psalm 34 ~~~ Eph 4:30-5:20 ~~~ John 6: 41-51 ~~~

To the Jews Jesus was speaking in riddles, especially in regards to bread.

For the Jewish people every meal began with the breaking of the bread.

The bread was prayed over ...

Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe,

who brings forth bread from the earth.

The Jews knew very well about the importance of bread and

that it came from God. They have, even today, special breads

to be eaten on the Sabbath and holidays.

Passover is  also known as the "Festival of the Unleavened Bread".

The Jews in the Gospel could not see how or why Jesus would say,

"I am the bread that came down from heaven,"

Jesus knows this is a huge leap of faith for them.

He knows they cannot possibly understand his words.

He reminds them about those who were fed by manna in the desert.

The manna that came down from heaven...from God.

"...I am the bread of life.
Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
this is the bread that comes down from heaven
so that one may eat it and not die."

Throughout the ages God has fed his people.
Jesus came to bring us himself as our eternal bread.

Those who were fed in the desert died, but the bread Jesus is speaking of
to the Jews
is The Bread of Life.
When we eat this bread at every Eucharistic Celebration we are
demonstrating our belief....that Jesus is the eternal bread for our eternal life.

We believe in Life Eternal.
Nourished by Jesus himself gives us the responsibility to carry this life
within us out to others.
The Jews broke bread together, Jesus broke bread with his apostles,
Jesus fed the thousands baskets of bread.

Jesus is The Bread of Life!

We are a Eucharistic People!

If you believe this, how is it effecting your daily life.

We are called to live on this divine nourishment...

nourishment for our soul.

In the end the body no longer needs nourishment

but, the soul lives on forever.

Sustenance for Body and Soul

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

~~~ Ex 16: 2-4, 12-15 ~~~ Psalm 78 ~~~ Eph 4:17, 20-24 ~~~ John 6:24-35 ~~~

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."

Verse thirty-five from this sixth chapter of John says it all...

Jesus is the bread of life.

It is he who is our food. most importantly our food for the soul.

Every time I hear this passage from Exodus of God feeding

Moses and his people in

the desert with manna from heaven I get this vision...

While all of the people are asleep God sends down dew as moisture;

which is much needed in the desert.

But then God covers the ground with 'Frosted Flakes'.

When the people get up in the morning the bright sunshine

glistens on the flakes and the sugar particles sparkle.

I am being funny, but it is such a real picture.

The appearance of this manna is not the point; the point is God

gave the people bread or manna to eat.

He led them through the desert but he never abandoned them.

This food for their body also fed their soul

because it gave them hope.

These 'frosted flakes' kept them believing.

It kept them believing that Moses was being led by God.

It kept them believing that they were right to follow to stick with him.

Today we can look back at this time and see the connection with what

Jesus is saying in the gospel today.

He is the 'bread of life'.

God sent Jesus down from heaven...his gift to us...

so that he could die on the cross and become our spiritual food forever.

Whether we are walking through the desert

or along the seashore we have the gift of

the eternal bread of life.

Each time we come to Mass the bread we bring to the altar is changed

by the power of the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ.

It becomes the bread of life.

We are spiritually fed, our soul is nourished with so much more

than we bring to the altar.

Our small offering is returned to us a life giving source for our soul.

In the desert God sent the manna from heaven to feed their bodies,

but in turn their souls were also fed because they believed.

When we receive the consecrated bread...the Eucharist we are fed spiritually,

but our bodies are also fed, at least symbolically.

God transforms the bread we bring into his very own

bread of life.

The people in the desert grumbled and became disgruntled as time progressed.

God fed them in spite of their belligerent attitudes.

No matter what is happening in my life I know I can always come to the table

of the Lord and be fed by his body and blood.

He is the 'Bread of Life' for me.

 I cannot imagine my life without this gift.

Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof,

but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

Only say the word and my soul will be fed.

I believe that you are the

"Bread of Life"

and I thank you for giving us this gift of sustenance.