Word: Believers of Jesus, the Living Bread, will never hunger nor thirst.
Order: “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life.”(Jn6:27a)
Reflection:
As we travel through life, we go hungry, not for mere physical food but for the food that feeds the spirit and satisfies the hunger of the soul. We go through varied and challenging journeys that concern our family, our health, our relationships and many personal struggles. In all these, we need sustenance, the food that comes from God – God’s generous gift in the Eucharist, to gain vigor for life and strength to continue our journey of faith.
In Jesus, God is both the giver and the gift. He does not only give the gift of bread, but Himself. He comes to us as our Bread, our Life. He stresses our need not to forget God, whose presence is His greatest gift to us. Only then, will we discover that the world has nothing to offer that compares to what we have in Christ. For in Him, we have the Bread of Life, the only thing capable of meeting our deepest hunger and greatest thirst.
Our community theme for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time is – We will never hunger or thirst when we put away our sinful old selves and accomplish our God-given tasks. We cannot receive the Lord if we have unrepented sins in our hearts, or if we persist in living a life that contradicts our faith. Sins make a man unclean and they do not originate in food, but in our hearts and in our will. Without confession and repentance, we cannot commit ourselves to Jesus, let alone truly live in ways that conform to His will. From the Eucharist, we learn to forgive, to share, to be honest and to be kind to everyone.
Though there are many weaknesses in our community, this is still the Body of Christ, and the anchor of our faith, because Jesus is here and we are here to try to follow Him more faithfully. We who believe in the Living Bread are assured of His presence and power as we faithfully commit to carry out the assigned tasks given us in building up His kingdom in this community.
Our community theme for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time is – We will never hunger or thirst when we partake of the Holy Eucharist.Jesus points out that it is not the bread alone, but God’s presence in and through the bread that gives life, referring to the Eucharist. It helps us to see deeper into things, because it challenges us to find God in the bread and wine. The Eucharist is the center of our lives, because it satisfies our hunger and fulfills our deepest yearning. When we receive the Body of Christ, it nourishes us to meet and face the challenges of our journey through life.
Jesus became bread for us, so that when we partake of Him, we too may become bread for others through the sharing of ourselves and what we have. We are to become Eucharist so that through us, others may have life too. Let us accept Jesus’ extraordinary invitation to frequently eat His body present in the Eucharist as we become one with Him.
Our community theme for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time is – We will never hunger or thirst when we feed on His Word. How better for Jesus to help us understand that the “Living Bread” He gives us is what will sustain the divine life He has given us. While our daily reading of Scripture and the teachings of the church can help us live the gospel challenges and draw closer to the Lord, the real spiritual growth comes through being nourished by the Bread of Life. We just have to be a little more open to God’s Word and inspiration.
Our community theme for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time is – We will never hunger or thirst when we are steadfast in following Jesus.The gospel points to the importance of faith as well as our need to persevere in the face of difficulties. If we hold on to God’s promises, we will overcome. Let us persevere in faith, and say with Peter, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,”(Jn 6:68). Like the followers who decided to remain with Jesus, may we too find meaning and direction of our life in the words of Jesus. He is here for us and He gives us His own Body and Blood for our strength and courage in daily life.In our day-to-day struggles, we sometimes get so discouraged, we feel like giving up. But the food and drink that Jesus is only too willing to share with us will sustain us even in the most challenging stretches of life’s journey and its problems. When we partake of the Eucharist, Jesus journeys with us in our joys and sorrows.
Our community theme for the 22ndSunday in Ordinary Time is – We will never hunger or thirst when we honor God with our hearts, not just with our lips.We want Jesus to live in our hearts, just as we desire to live in His heart. This is a call for personal faith – one that challenges the way we live our lives. It must bring about a real and living relationship with Jesus, who challenges us to always be aware of our relationship with God, and not to become attached to external practices that do not make us grow, or fail to inspire us to expand beyond the narrow reaches of our complacency. It is important to return to the essence, the soul, of what we are doing so that we can gain meaning for ourselves and for others.
Jesus wants us to realize that we will be judged by the heart, not by human standards, or traditions, nor by external religious observance, or even by visible good works or acts of love. These are good but only if they flow from a heart that is good – “the outer depends on the inner”. If what is seen contradicts what is unseen – what is hidden in our hearts, then this dichotomy truly deserves the label of hypocrisy. True character is revealed through one’s heart. Let us honor our Lord and God not only with our lips, but especially with our heart.
Prayer :
Gracious Lord, our Precious Jesus, we proclaim that you are the “Bread of Life”. May we always fix our eyes on You, the Living Bread – broken and shared for us in our journey of faith. We praise and thank you that Your Word: “I am the Bread of Life” assures us that You continually nourish and strengthen us as we walk through this valley of tears. Amen
Please downlaod in PDF format.
