BREAD OF LIFE

The 1st reading for today tells us of the very fascinating story of Elijah who was already pleading God for death. Maybe he has reached this point in his life where he was so exhausted and exasperated by the concerns of the world during his time. We, too sometimes come to the same situation when we feel we've reached the last breath of our strength and felt like giving up. Just like Elijah we may have also decided to stop doing anything about it. And when this happens we may also have encountered a situation or a person that urges us to go on, similar like the angel who woke him up twice and gave him food to eat which gave him the strength to carry on with his task. It only means that we must not give up and continue to hope in a God who looks after us and provides for all our needs. Amen. Hallelujah!

1 Kings 19:4-8

Elijah went a day’s journey into the desert, until he came to a broom tree and sat beneath it. He prayed for death “This is enough, O LORD! Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” 5 He lay down and fell asleep under the broom tree, but then an angel touched him and ordered him to get up and eat. 6 He looked and there at his head was a hearth cake and a jug of water. After he ate and drank, he lay down again, 7 but the angel of the LORD came back a second time, touched him, and ordered, “Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you!” 8 He got up, ate and drank; then strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God, Horeb.

If we will just seek God at all times then we surely find Him. Amen . Hallelujah!

P S A L M

Psalm 34:2-3. 4-5. 6-7. 8-9 (9a)

R: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

...I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears...The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

There are times when we tend to forget and get carried away by our feelings, emotions or give in to temptations without realizing that it could harm our relationship with the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. The 2nd reading today reminds us of this very important tip to always keep watch and guard our motives, intentions and actions.  Amen. Hallelujah!

Ephesians 4:30–5:2

 Brothers and sisters: Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. 5: 1 So be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.

Today's gospel which speaks of the Bread of Life which is one of the most significant events I can always associate with my CLP experience. I have already shared this before in my previous reflections. At around this same time in 2008, I had the chance of attending the Christian Life Program (CLP) in Pomona sponsored by the Couples for Christ. (CFC) I had an unforgettable experience during the Baptism in the Spirit when I had a vision of the scene of the crucifixion of Jesus in Mt. Calvary between the 2 thieves as in Luke 23:42-43, "Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom. Indeed, I promise you" he replied "today you will be with me in paradise."  It was almost like it was being said to me instead of to the thief and I felt goose bumps and very warm all over me as I knelt down inside a small prayer room. Immediately after that, as I was led into a bigger room, the choir suddenly sang the song entitled, "I am the Bread of Life" in which the lyrics "And I will raise you up on the last day." really struck my heart and brought me to tears. The CFC leader then told the group after I have shared it to them that it was the first time that something like it had ever happened since he felt that it was indeed a great occasion to rejoice and be reminded of that standing invitation of Jesus to all of us to share in His Kingdom and live eternal life. Manna is the physical bread that our ancestors ate in the desert. Moses gave them the 10 commandments or the Torah, which is the path of life and the Law. It can not save by itself we need God's Grace more than just the right actions. We are made of flesh and have the tendency to stay in the natural or physical level. We need to go beyond this level for a spiritual, supernatural and divine life. We thirst and hunger and seek to satisfy it in the things that the world offers. Despite our prosperity we are still dissatisfied. We can't satisfy our deepest hunger if we just turn to natural things. Even the outward or physical sign of bread seemed nothing and no longer enjoy it. This happens when we are caught up in the web of this fast paced world we live in and forget to stop for a little while and think. We need to slow down and savor each bite. Jesus is the True Bread that will give us supernatural life. He is the Law that has become flesh. Scriptures tell us of the several occasions when Jesus demonstrated to us the importance of the Eucharist and partake of the Body and Blood of Christ. The Road to Emmaus, the Upper Room in Jerusalem and the Sea of Galilee are only a few of these when Jesus took bread and fish, broke it and gave to His disciples. The temptation of Jesus in the desert to turn the stone into bread and His response based on scripture in Deuteronomy 8:3, "Man does not live on bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." There is a need to correct the misunderstanding. The Old Testament mentality tells us that the brain is not associated with thinking rather with the senses to feel, hear, see etc. It is the marrow of the head and thinking is associated with the heart, stomach and kidneys. Human beings process thought in the internal organs as in the digestive system. In Sirach 21 it is written "Come to me, eat and be satisfied." Wisdom can be processed inside and stay within us. The word of God nourishes us more than bread. The Old Testament is a preparation for something more profound. We need to recall these instances and the miracles especially of the multiplication of the loaves of bread and fish. An example that could give light to this is the concentration camps during the time of the Nazis. It was said that people who are more focused on the word of God lasted longer than those who are physically fit. Those who do not have the physical strength were sustained. The act of faith is necessary in every walk of life. It could be faith in anything, in science, logic and other things. There are so many things we can take from faith but not everything will ultimately lead to life that removes ultimate hunger. The physical things like riches, power and fame could lead us to destruction. Nowadays, we see the effects of drugs, sex and other things. People are dying from overdose, sexually transmitted diseases and more that we may not know of. We have to refrain from things that are not necessary and take things that God gives us. We need to cooperate by believing in Christ. They say experience is the best teacher, and God wanted us all to learn from Him by living it out in our own lives whatever instructions we heard from God and was taught to us. And who could best teach us other than Jesus who experienced it all. Accept the word of God, digest, process and be nourished. We tend to ignore the deeper meaning and the mystery of the Holy Eucharist. It is not simply a philosophy like the others which are great tools and help a lot but can never sustain us. We are invited to reflect on these miracles of the bread and wine in the scriptures both in the Old and New Testament and still understand our faith today. We have witnessed nice things, places and situations in our lifetime that help us to appreciate the goodness and graciousness of God. No one in this whole wide world can ever claim that he or she has not been given the chance of knowing our Supreme God and Creator for it is written in the scriptures that all will be taught and come to know about God. It is just a matter of listening well, making a decision to come to Him and really believe. Amen. Hallelujah!

John 6:41-51

44 Jesus said to the crowds: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets: ‘They shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; 50 this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”