“SPRINGS OF LIVING WATER”
Daily Spiritual Reflections
19th April 2021
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MONDAY, THIRD WEEK OF EASTER
Reading 1: Acts 6:8-15 The deacon Stephen, working great signs and wonders among the people, arouses the antagonism of the Synagogue.
Gospel: Jn 6:22-29 Jesus continues his catechesis on the Eucharist.
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SEEKING THE BREAD OF ETERNAL LIFE
We are defined by what we live for. The crowd in the gospel today are trying to find Jesus. They wanted to make him king by force, after seeing the miracle of the multiplication of loaves. Life would be so much easier having a king who could provide for them without them needing to do anything. They sought the Lord because they desired an easier life.
But Jesus wished that they rather desired a glorious life - life in eternity. Instead of seeking for perishable bread, he desired that they seek for the bread of life. While the crowd wanted him to be their provider of material needs, he wanted to be their saviour, leading them to salvation. He wanted them to believe in him, embrace his gospel, and grow in their life of faith. Therefore, he tells them that they need to search for the food that lasts.
Often, many of us are like the crowd we see in the gospel. We go to the Lord in prayer because we want him to fulfil our every aspiration, need and desire. And many so-called preachers today, exploit this selfish yearning, by preaching a gospel of prosperity. Being influenced by this distorted doctrine, many crave for this kind of perishable bread. Being fed on this bread leaves one internally unsatisfied and empty.
Jesus desires that we build a close bond with him which sustains us and propels us towards eternal life. He tells us not to be just satisfied with the worldly pleasures that do not last. Rather, he desires that we strive for eternal life. And in our quest for eternal life, he wants to strengthen us with his own body and blood, the Eucharist.
Sadly, for many of us, going for mass more often than once a week is a challenge and even sometimes a burden, while on the contrary, there often seems to be time for things less important. Let us reorient ourselves to Christ. Let us centre our lives on Jesus, our bread of life
Res. Psalm: Ps 119:23-24,26-27,29-30 Blessed are those who walk in the law of the Lord.
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