16-Apr-18

Gospel JN 6:22-29
[After Jesus had fed the five thousand men, his disciples saw him walking on the sea.]
The next day, the crowd that remained across the sea
saw that there had been only one boat there,
and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat,
but only his disciples had left.
Other boats came from Tiberias
near the place where they had eaten the bread
when the Lord gave thanks.
When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there,
they themselves got into boats
and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
And when they found him across the sea they said to him,
“Rabbi, when did you get here?”
Jesus answered them and said,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me
not because you saw signs
but because you ate the loaves and were filled.
Do not work for food that perishes
but for the food that endures for eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you.
For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”
So they said to him,
“What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”
Reflection:
“Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me
not because you saw signs
but because you ate the loaves and were filled.
Do not work for food that perishes...."
If I am "looking" for Jesus because I hope to obtain something for me, I am short changing myself.
Yes, Jesus said, "Ask anything in my name," (John 14:14) but the reality is that the material things of life are the things that will eventually "perish."
"........but for the food that endures for eternal life...
which the Son of Man will give you."
So what is this food that "endures for enteral life?"
LOVE!!!
So they said to him,
"What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”
God calls us to a new relationship of sharing in the love of His Son, Jesus.
When we "believe" in Jesus. and pattern our life after His, we will know "eternal life."
Jesus led a life of love of God and love of neighbor.
He showed His love of God through worship, obedience and thanksgiving.
He showed His love of neighbor by being nonjudgemental and through His selfless service.
Jesus taught us that we can only experience love when we give it away.
When we focus on giving thanks to God and loving others through our selfless service looking for nothing in return, then our life will be filled with a Spirit of well being and we will know the peace, hope and love that only God can give.
"We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 1:3