XVIII Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) - Sunday, 4 August 2024 -
Mass
Readings: Ex 16: 2-4.12-15 Ps 77
Eph 4:17.20-24 Jn 6:24-35
Key
Verse to Meditate: For the bread
of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world"
(Jn 6:33).
Rev. Dr. Patrick Mathias SDB
Dear
Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
The Liturgy of
the Word of God on this eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time presents Jesus as
the “bread of life.” The discourses in the first reading and the Gospel reading
for this Sunday lead us to the theme of the Eucharistic Bread, our eternal
food. The reading from the Book of Exodus recounts the miracle of the manna
that rained from heaven, while the Gospel reading from the well-known sixth
chapter of John addresses the theme of the "bread of life," the food
that endures for eternal life. The central message of these readings lies in
the truth that, despite humanity's complaints and ingratitude, God always
rewards His people with love. The Exodus narration of the manna is a timeless
story of humanity's unfaithfulness and ingratitude toward God, and of a God who
is immensely attentive to their needs. This theme continues in this Sunday’s
Gospel, which follows last Sunday’s passage. The bread given in the desert
perishes, but the "bread" truly sent from heaven by God for the
salvation of humanity lasts forever. Believing in Jesus Christ, sent by the
Father, and following Him with true faith is the great proposal of today’s
liturgy.
First
Reading: The Pain of Hunger : At Marah in the
desert, the people grumbled against the Lord for water because it was bitter in
taste (Ex 15:23-24). Now, at Elim (Ex 16), they grumbled against the Lord for
food and meat. It was serious to grumble against the living God who had led
them thus far. Their discontent was so intense that they wished they had been
left behind in Egypt eating meat rather than coming to die in the wilderness at
the hands of Yahweh (see Num 11:4, 18; 14:2; 20:3; Josh 7:7). But God
miraculously intervened through Moses to feed His people in the wilderness (cf.
Ps 105:40; Neh 9:15).
The Test
of Obedience: God also gave them a test: they
were to gather only for the day and not hoard as much as they could. God was
training them to trust that He would take care of their needs daily. This was a
test of obedience to the Lord’s commandments, prior to receiving the Torah on
Mount Sinai. The story of the manna, which lasted not just for one day but for
nearly forty years of their sojourn in the wilderness, is significant. The sons
of Israel ate the manna for forty years until they came to an inhabited land;
they ate the manna until they reached the border of the land of Canaan (Ex
16:35). This long-lasting provision made it necessary to include manna as one
of the three sacred items kept inside the Ark of the Covenant (Ex 16:33-34). Some
Israelites failed the test initially (Ex 16:20), and the Lord demanded an
explanation for not taking His commands seriously (Ex 16:28). Even today,
people do not take God seriously because His demands contradict their intuitive
sense of right. It is here that humanity goes wrong. God's precepts are for our
good, and it is in obedience to God's commandments that we find our true
happiness and joy.
When the
Israelites grumbled against Moses in the wilderness regarding food and meat,
the Lord promised through Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven
for you" (Ex 16:4). God gave them manna (bread) in the morning and quails
in the evening for meat (Ex 16:8). As the Lord promised, manna covered the
camp’s surface each morning. It was a fine, flake-like substance, as fine as
frost on the ground (Ex 16:14). Not knowing what it was, they asked, “What is
it?” The old Hebrew term referring to manna thus denotes the meaning of
"What is it?" (mān hûʾ). Clarifying their doubts, Moses told them it
was the bread which the LORD had given them to eat (Ex. 16:15). Towards the end
of that chapter, the house of Israel named it ‘manna.’ It was like coriander
seed, white, and its taste was like wafers with honey (Ex 16:31).
The
Second Reading: Eph 4:17, 20-24 : In last
Sunday’s reading, St. Paul invited Christians to walk in a manner worthy of
their Christian calling by maintaining unity in the Spirit (Eph 4:1). The Jews
regarded the moral standards of Gentiles as debased and not up to the mark.
Therefore, St. Paul urged the Gentile Christians to live as people who truly
know God. This Sunday’s reading continues his apostolic exhortation to
individual Christians to live a truthful life taught by Christ. They should no
longer walk as those who do not know Christ, living in the futility of their
minds (Eph 4:17). Here, ‘mind-set’ refers to the total person viewed through
the aspect of thinking. St. Paul indicates that the mind can be renewed (Rom
12:2).
The former way
of life must be renounced, as they are now children of light (1 Thess 5:5).
Those who follow Christ must set aside the old self, which is corrupted by
deceitful desires. Since every Christian disciple is created in righteousness
and holiness of truth, each one must be renewed in the spirit of their minds
and put on the new self, which is created in the likeness of God (Eph 4:22-24).
The
Gospel Reading - Full Stomachs, Empty Hearts
In last
Sunday’s Gospel, we saw how Jesus multiplied the loaves, presenting Himself as
the awaited Messiah. After this great miracle, the crowds wanted to proclaim
Jesus as king, but He withdrew alone to the mountain (Jn 6:15). While the
multiplication of the bread filled people's stomachs, their hearts remained
empty.
Now, in the
continuation of the miracle (following the episode of walking on the water),
the location shifts from Tiberias to Capernaum (Jn 6:16). Mark (6:53) and
Matthew (14:34) refer to the place as Gennesaret. However, we understand that
Gennesaret is a three-mile-long fertile plain between Capernaum and Tiberias.
As the gospel story moves from Tiberias to Capernaum, the hometown of Jesus,
the people arrive seeking Him by taking private boats. Knowing their
intentions, Jesus tells them, “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for
the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you” (Jn
6:27). More profoundly, He presented Himself as the one who feeds
humanity’s hunger for life, love, and eternity.
Lord Jesus made
it clear to the multitude that, as the promised Messiah, He had fed them first
with God's living word and then with bread and fish out of compassion. Jesus is
the true bread from Heaven, sent by the Father for the salvation of the world. It
is to this deeper reality that Jesus was leading the people. Jesus points out
that the people sought Him “not because they had seen signs, but because they
had eaten the loaves and were satisfied.” Their search was motivated by their
empty stomachs rather than their hearts and faith in God. Hence, the precise
warning of the Master: “Do not labour for the food that perishes, but for the
food that endures to eternal life.” This exhortation parallels the rebuke of
the prophet Isaiah: “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your
wages for what does not satisfy?” (Is 55:2).
“What
shall we do?” - Doing the Works of God : When
the people heard that Jesus is the one who can give them food that endures to
eternal life, they began to realize their responsibility and asked Jesus, “What
shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” (see Jn 9:3; 1 Cor 15:58).
This question parallels the one posed to John the Baptist: “Then what shall we
do?” (Lk 3:10). Jesus explains that doing the works of God involves believing
in Jesus, whom the Father has sent (Jn 6:29) and on whom God the Father has set
His seal (Jn 6:28). The works of God pertain to the life of faith. Faith in God
and in Jesus is the condition for doing the works of God.
An
Act of Faith in Christ
The Jews knew
that good works merit God’s recompense of eternal life. However, Jesus changes
this basic understanding and tells them that now faith in Christ is the true
work of God, which places people in their true relationship with God. Jesus’ words, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me
shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst" (Jn 6:35),
have a simple logic: Coming to Jesus means believing in Him, and obeying Christ
implies believing in Him. The core of St. John’s Gospel is faith in Christ,
which is also the truth St. John emphasizes in this discourse on the bread of
life: “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey
the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (Jn 3:36; see
also 3:15).
What
Sign Can You Do for Us
In
last Sunday’s Gospel, we found Jesus and His disciples at Tiberias. John
mentioned that a great multitude was following Him because they had seen the signs,
He had performed on those who were sick (Jn 6:2). In the miracle of feeding the
five thousand (Jn 6:1-15; see Mt 14:13-21; Mk 6:32-44; Lk 9:10b-17), we saw
how, after witnessing this great miracle, people recognized Him as the expected
prophet and wanted to make Him king (Jn 6:14-15a). This miracle is immediately
followed by the account of Jesus walking on water (Mt 14:22-33; Mk 6:45-52; Jn
6:15-21), except in Luke's Gospel. Now, after all these signs, when they find
Jesus, they still ask Him, “What then do You do for a sign that we may see and
believe You? What work do You perform?” (Jn 6:30).
It
is indeed strange how these people’s hearts work. Bread can touch only the
stomach, not the heart. Jesus never intended to be seen merely as a miracle worker.
He did not want faith based solely on miracles and signs. Thus, to the crowd
that asked for a sign, Jesus proposed Himself as the solution. He is the true
bread that satisfies all hunger. By recalling the experience of manna in the
desert and affirming that He is the bread of life, Jesus emphasizes that just
as eating is necessary to live, so is believing in Him.
Our
Fathers Ate Manna in the Desert
The
Jews then reminded Jesus that their fathers ate manna in the desert. This
statement connects us with the first reading. By referring to manna, they also
remind Jesus about Moses, who gave them bread from heaven (Jn 6:31). For the
Jews, Moses was the greatest of all prophets because he was the instrument
through whom God provided manna to the Israelites in the desert (cf. Ex 16:15;
Num 11:7; 21:5; Deut 8:3; Wis 16:20).
Jesus
needed to correct their misunderstanding to sustain their faith. He clearly
told them that it was not Moses who gave them the bread from heaven; rather, it
was His Father who gives them the true bread from heaven (Jn 6:32). By saying,
“It is My Father,” Jesus identifies Himself as the Son of God, the promised
Messiah whom the people were expecting. The theme of the ‘spirituality of the
Father’ in John’s Gospel begins to unfold with this verse. While the Israelites
ate manna in the desert and many died, whoever eats the bread sent by God the
Father will live forever. Whoever adheres to Christ lives with Him and finds
spiritual serenity. Secondly, Jesus taught them that while manna was a “bread
from heaven” given by God, it was not the true Bread of God. The true Bread of
God is Jesus Christ Himself, sent by the Father, and born in Bethlehem (“Beit”
– ‘house’ and “Lechem” – ‘bread’), the house of bread (Mt. 2:1-2).
Jesus
the Bread of God : Jesus is the true bread of God. Manna, the bread
from heaven, was the food of the Israelites in the desert. It alleviated their
hunger and satisfied their stomachs. But it is only the bread of God, Jesus
Christ, who came down to earth and offers life and salvation to humanity:
"For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven and gives
life to the world" (Jn 6:33). Having understood this truth, the people
said, "Lord, evermore give us this bread" (Jn 6:34). This request
from the people reminds us of the Samaritan woman's request: "Sir, give me
this water, so I will not be thirsty, nor come all the way here to draw"
(Jn 4:15). This leads to Christ’s affirmation, in which He made a revelatory
statement: “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he
who believes in Me shall never thirst” (Jn 6:35).
"I
am the Bread of Life": By
saying "I am the bread of life," Jesus makes a claim that only God
can make. It is not just a claim but signifies a reality: Jesus alone can offer
us the very life of God. This is indeed the true bread that will satisfy our
human hearts. Jesus is the ‘living Bread’ i.e. the Bread that has life in
itself. The "I am" (ἐγώ εἰμι) sayings of Jesus reveal His divine
identity (e.g., "I am the light of the world" (Jn 8:12; 9:5); "I
am the door" (Jn 10:7, 9); "I am the good shepherd" (Jn 10:14)).
In fact, to those who came to arrest Jesus in the garden, He revealed His
identity by saying, “I am He” (Jn 18:5). And when Moses asked the Lord for His
name, He revealed His personal name as "I AM WHO I AM" (Ex 3:14).
A
Deeper Hunger : Our hearts hunger for something in life, something
to satisfy them. When people were seeking Jesus to satisfy their daily hunger,
Christ spoke to them about something higher that can address their deeper
needs. As St. Augustine said, “Our hearts are made for You, O God, and they are
restless until they rest in You.” They were seeking Jesus to fill their empty
stomachs, but Jesus was directing them to seek the bread of eternal life, which
can nourish their hearts and minds. Only Jesus can satisfy our deepest desires.
He is the bread that fulfills our hunger and thirst.
Just
as the Samaritan woman (Jn 4:15) and the Jews who said to Jesus, “Lord, always
give us this bread,” we need to ask Jesus to give us this heavenly bread continually:
'Give us this day our daily bread’ (Mt 6:11). Jesus is the true bread of
life. He is the only true food for us, the One able to satisfy our hunger for
life, love, and spiritual fulfillment. As Jesus exhorted the Jews, living the
experience of faith means allowing ourselves to be nourished by the Lord in the
Eucharist and building our lives upon this sacrament of eternal life. We live
not on material goods, but on the precious bread of His Word and His holy body
in the Eucharist.
As
Christian disciples, each of us looks for something that can more deeply
satisfy the human heart. Those who come to Christ know that He is the full
satisfaction of man's true needs. Just as Yahweh took care of the physical
needs of His people, Jesus fills our hearts and lives with meaning and
significance. As we move forward, living no longer like those who do not know
Christ, we strive to abandon our old ways and clothe ourselves in Christ the
Lord. We must recognize that the food that truly nourishes and satisfies us is
only what the Lord provides in the Eucharist. Jesus gives us this food; indeed,
it is Himself, the living bread that gives life to the world.
Yes,
only God satisfies-let’s never forget that!
Points
for Personal Reflection: Have we ever complained to the Lord about something
that didn’t go according to our expectations? If so, why? In times of need, do
I patiently pray and wait on the Lord instead of grumbling?
When
we receive the Eucharist, are we truly aware that this "bread" is
Christ sent to us by the Father?
Are
we able to enter into a relationship with Jesus and with the Father? Does faith
help us in this? Are we certain that in every moment of our lives, we are
seeking the "true bread" and following the path indicated by the
Word?
What
are the hungers in my life? Does material comfort satisfy me? If not, where do
I seek satisfaction: in money, people, pleasure, or riches?
Praise the LORD - Amen
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