First Reading: Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15
Reflection:
This Sunday’s first reading takes place soon after the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt. They were quickly confronted with an obvious and serious problem when having an extremely large group of people wandering in the desert—a shortage of food. As a result of their hunger, they complained to their leaders, Moses and Aaron, and expressed their desire to be back in Egypt where, even though they were maltreated in slavery, at least they had plenty of bread to eat. Despite their grumbling (which the Israelites continually did during their time in the desert), God provided for their needs. He gave them quail in the evening and bread in the morning. The bread is the focal point as it foreshadows what we will hear in this Sunday’s Gospel reading. When the Israelites first saw this flaky bread covering the ground in the morning they said, “What is it?” In the original Hebrew, this question is rendered as man hu, from which we derive the word “manna.” As we learn from Scripture, this manna would appear every morning except on the Sabbath for the duration of the Israelites’ time in the desert. They were to collect just enough for that day (and twice as much on Friday to cover the Sabbath). This taught them trust in God to provide for their needs. In fact, they were forbidden to keep any manna overnight for the next day (except from Friday to Saturday) and doing so would result in it going moldy. God wanted them to trust Him for their “daily bread.” The manna foreshadows the true bread from heaven, who is Jesus, especially through his presence in the Most Holy Eucharist. Jesus makes this clear in his “Bread of Life Discourse” in John 6, which we will hear from this Sunday and in the coming two weeks.
Second Reading: Ephesians 4:17, 20-24
Reflection:
The term “Gentile” literally means “other nations.” Simply put, they were non-Jews. Paul here is not repudiating that ethnicity per se but the lifestyle often associated with those who were not of the nation of Israel. Gentiles in Paul’s day were typically pagan. They were polytheistic (i.e. worshipping many gods) and lived rather immoral lives. Their behavior was contrary to the laws of God. We might simplify Paul’s message here and apply it to our modern setting by summarizing: Christians should not live as the rest of society does. Christians should look different from the increasingly secularized and immoral society around us. Jesus Christ is our guide and standard, not society. TV, the movies, social media, pop culture, etc. do not set the bar for how we are to live as Christians. Our call is not to conform to them and all the ways of this world, but to conform our lives to Christ. This is a journey and we are always in need of conversion. Paul calls us to “put away the old self of your former way of life…and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.” By God’s grace we can be transformed from sinners into saints.
Gospel Reading: John 6:24-35
Reflection:
This Sunday’s Gospel reading follows soon after last week’s, when we heard the account of Jesus multiplying the loaves and fish to feed the five thousand. It is within that context that we will better understand this passage. In between the feeding of the five thousand and this reading which begins the famous “Bread of Life Discourse,” the gospel writer (John) records the miracle of Jesus walking on the water. Thus, when the crowds meet up with Jesus again at Capernaum they are perplexed by how he got there. Jesus sees straight into their motives and explains that they have come not because of the miracles he has performed but because he filled their stomachs and they are hungry for more food. He then transitions to show them that their true hunger is not for physical food but for food that feeds the soul. “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” This statement from Jesus causes the crowd to call to mind the time of the Exodus when their “ancestors ate manna in the desert,” as we heard about in the first reading. Jesus then says something shocking: “I am the bread of life.” Jesus claims to be the true bread come down from heaven that will feed people’s souls and leading them to eternal life. As we will see next week, He does this primarily through the Eucharist.
Application:
- Are you hungry? Do you yearn for something more in life, feeling unsatisfied with all this world has to offer? If we follow the ways of our society we will always be left still yearning for more. Only God can satisfy the deepest hungers of our heart. Will you let him be your “daily bread”?
