“For
the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the
world.” (Jn 6:33) Mahatma
Gandhi believed this, but not being Christian, quotes it in a context understandable to his people: “There are people in the world so hungry,
that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.”
We started last week with the miracle of the multiplication of the bread. The only miracle you will find in all the four gospels. There must be something more in this miracle than meets the eye.
Bread
is food. Food extends life. Without food a person dies. And so the gospel of
last week ended with everyone persistently trying to make Jesus king in order
that they get free bread, free food to extend their whole life. “There are people in the world so hungry,
that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.” These people
ate the bread from the Man from Heaven. But they still were not able to
recognize God.
This
same situation was similar of their ancestors in the desert, the episode of
which is taken from our first reading: “The
Lord said to Moses: I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day
the people shall go out and gather enough for that day.”
It
did extend their lives until the end of their journey to Canaan, the promised
land.” But then, “There are people in the
world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.”
Their ancestors ate the bread from heaven but they did not recognize God.
Have
you ever watched the cartoons Popeye the sailorman. Whenever he is oppressed by
difficult villains, all he needs is his special food -spinach and he gains
spectacular strength for a moment. But later he becomes his normal self. He may
become the strongest for a while but it will not be forever.
And
so Jesus tells us today: "Your ancestors ate the manna from the desert, and they
died… Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures for eternal
life."
And
so many people did look for this food that would make them eternal… but all in
the wrong places.
-Adam
and Eve wanted to eat the forbidden fruit so that they could be immortal. They did not find immortality.
-In
Greek mythology, people searched for Ambrosia, the food of the Gods that could
make someone immortal when taken. They did not find it.
-Juan
Ponce de Leon travelled all the way to the New World to find the fountain of
eternal youth. But his search was in vain.
Jesus
in the Gospel tells where to look for it. “For
the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the
world.” (Jn 6:33) “There are people in the
world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.” If only people can see that if they find God
in the bread, they indeed will have eternal life.
Finally
Jesus makes his statement: “I am the
bread of life. Whoever comes to me will
never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” And time and time again we fail to
recognize Jesus in the bread. Just look at ourselves how we receive Holy
Communion, when we fall in line, what are we thinking of? Dinner, friends
waiting outside, our next gimmick. Then
we look at who the minister giving Communion is, instead of focusing on
receiving the bread. And when we receive it in our hands is there the respect
God deserves or do we just go through the motions.
Children
were lined up in the cafeteria of a religious school for lunch. At the head of
the table was a large tray of bread slices. The nun posted a sign on the bread
tray, "Take only one. God is watching." Further along the lunch line,
at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. One
child whispered to another, "Take all you want. God is watching the
bread." I wonder what would happen when
instead of God is watching the bread, the sign would say: "God is in the bread?" In the Eucharist, He is not only in the bread, He is the bread.
Today
you are in Church because you hunger for that bread of God which comes down
from heaven. When you receive him in Holy Communion today, will you be able to
find God in the bread? Remember this because God cannot appear to us except in
the form of the bread.