Readings:
Acts 6: 8 – 15
John 6: 22 – 29
Reflection:
Jesus has just given food (bread and fish) to a great multitude (5,000 people) in the wilderness on the far side of the Sea of Galilee. Then he came to his disciples by night as they made their way by boat back to Capernaum. He revealed himself to them – “I am He”, using the name of God! The people who had witnessed the miracle of the loaves now come looking for Jesus.
“Rabbi, when did you come here?”
Jesus enters into a dialogue with them, like he did with the woman at the well. There he had led her from thirst for water to looking for a thirst for living water – life in the Spirit through faith in him. Here Jesus leads the people to question what they are really seeking – food that will endure to eternal life.
He wants them to come to a deeper relationship with him: – to learn to accept and believe in him as the Word of Life sent by the Father.
“Believe” is a strange word. We often use it to mean – I am a fan of this person or that team; e.g. I believe that Storm will win the Premiership. In the Old English, ‘ believe’ meant something deeper – “be-in -lief” which meant “to be in love” with someone.
Do I surrender myself in love and in faith to Jesus as the Word and Wisdom of God? Each Eucharist is a living encounter with Jesus where I am invited to believe (“be-in-love”) with Him.
Pat McIndoe CP, a Passionist at St. Joseph, Port Moresby, PNG.