Tenth Sunday after Pentecost – Sunday, August 4, 2024

John 6:24-35

Rev. Neli Miranda

 

Today, we continue reading John’s account of the events following the feeding of the five thousand. Most of these people returned home satisfied. They had been filled with the Word of God and with the bread and fish distributed by Jesus and his disciples. Some among them also experienced healing at the hands of Jesus, returning home full in body and spirit. However, as John recounts, some of them continued looking for Jesus and followed him to Capernaum, seemingly drawn by the prospect of continued physical sustenance rather than by understanding the liberating message of the Kingdom of God.

The Roman government had a practice that kept the large crowds pacified by offering them free food and “entertainment” at the Colosseum a practice known as “bread and circus”. While bread is sacred and a fundamental human right, here it was used as a tool of control, providing temporary relief while perpetuating a cycle of deprivation.  In contrast, Jesus sought not to pacify or manipulate crowds but to proclaim the liberating, transformative presence of God among them. He proclaimed the Kingdom of God calling all to live an abundant life. He encouraged and inspired people to change their hearts, minds, and actions towards a just society where no one begs for bread. The bread he shared was a sign of the living and liberating presence of God among them.

Jesus attended to the people’s immediate needs while also teaching them how to struggle each day with faith, hope, solidarity, and justice. While acknowledging the significance of physical sustenance, he urged them to seek beyond the temporal to the eternal: “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you” (6,27).  “Eternal life” does not refer to a life after dying but to a full, abundant, and meaningful life that begins here and now. In the preceding chapter, Jesus has proclaimed: “I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life…” (5,24).

 So, how can we embrace this abundant life? Beyond the temporary bread he shared, Jesus presents himself as the Bread of Life: “For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world… I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry...” Our true satisfaction lies in embracing Jesus in our lives, listen to his liberating words, make life changes, and transform our reality into one where everyone lives fully.

The first nourishment that Jesus wants to ensure for us is our daily bread, which should circulate within the community. He teaches us that no one should hoard bread but share it within the community, as we witnessed in last Sunday’s lesson. In daily life, Jesus also guides us to find a full life where every aspect of our lives is nurtured. He teaches us to petition our Heavenly Father for our daily  bread while infusing our lives with faith, hope, and fortitude.  Jesus’ food empowers us to transform our world and manifest the Kingdom of God in the here and now.

Dear sisters and brothers, let us strive for a world where no one begs for bread. Let us work to bring Jesus’ food to the world, his liberating and transformative message. Let’s bring the Bread of Life to the world. Amen.