Scripture Reading(s)
John 6:25-35
6:25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”
6:26 Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.
6:27 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. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.”
6:28 Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?”
6:29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
6:30 So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing?
6:31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'”
6:32 Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.
6:33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
6:34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Reflections
Jesus was followed by crowds nearly everywhere He went. In John chapter 6 He was followed by a crowd that seemed to be more interested in food and signs of wonder than who Jesus actually was. They were not aware that Jesus was the Messiah and they were not convinced even at the signs that Jesus performed. Yet, Jesus preached to them after He fed them, until one by one they began to leave Him rather than follow Him. In the end it was a small group of disciples who followed Him that day.
Like the crowds that followed Jesus, we too get caught up in the vanity of our own faith, looking for signs or trying to predict Jesus’ return. We ravage the scriptures for knowledge that we think will make us special but we forget about seeking Jesus and His will. We must be faithful to seek Jesus above all things, not just to be religious, or to be scholarly. For only in seeking Jesus will be fine the bread life and the living water that will sustain us and we will not hunger or thirst.