Jesus reveals that He is the Bread of Life. Every Catholic man can grow in happiness by growing in the Virtue of Faith so he can more fully receive, live and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ and by seeking the Gift of Understanding from the Holy Spirit so he can be guided by the Spirit as he studies the Bible.
Liturgy
3rd Week of Easter – Tuesday – Jn 6:30-35
Commentary
After Feeding the 5000 and walking on the sea of Galilee, Jesus began the The Sermon on the Bread of Life (Jn 6:30-59), by rebuking the crowd for their failure to see His signs and their emphasis on physical food, and promised to give them supernatural food to prepare for eternal life. Now, Jesus reveals that He is the mysterious Bread of Life that is from Heaven.
Not yet recognizing His divinity, suspecting He is a prophet perhaps even greater than Moses, the crowd recalls Jesus’ rebuke for not perceiving His “signs.” Despite actually participating in the miraculous sign of The Feeding of the 5000 and witnessing His mysterious crossing of the Sea of Galilee without a boat, they challenge Jesus to perform yet another “sign.” Ironically, despite receiving miraculous bread at The Feeding of the 5000, a replay of Israel’s feasting on manna during the Exodus, they challenge Jesus to perform yet another miracle like Moses, who “gave them bread from Heaven to eat.”
The Son of God, Person of the Trinity, is the One who actually gave the manna to the people of Israel in the desert long ago during the Exodus. He now patiently corrects their descendants about the true source of the manna. Jesus reveals that His Father, not Moses, is the provider of the true bread from Heaven, a bread that gives life to the world. The people do not yet grasp Jesus’ spectacular claim He is the Son of God and do not yet realize that Jesus Himself, in His Body and Blood, is the bread that has come down from Heaven. Nevertheless, the people call Him “Lord”, a term of reverence but not an acknowledgment of His Divinity, and ask for some of the mysterious bread. Jesus then drops a bombshell, revealing He is the bread of life and that men who believe in Him will never thirst or hunger again.
Be awed by Jesus Christ
Marvel at the mysterious and highly provocative revelations of Jesus: Jesus is the actual Son of God the Father; Jesus is from Heaven; Jesus, Divine King and greatest Provider, is Himself spiritual nourishment, the bread from Heaven given by God to men, which has the exclusive Divine Power to provide eternal peace; men must believe in Jesus, who appears to be a man, but is God.
Receive, live and proclaim the Good News of Jesus
Realize: The readings during Easter proclaim the Good News that God the Father sent His Son to save men from death and give abundant life to all men willing to accept His most gracious gift.
Believe: Reflect upon The Good News of Jesus Christ (CCC 422-424, 606, 2824).
Pray: Jesus, Divine Savior, help me grow in the Virtue of Faith so Your Good News sinks deeply into my mind and heart, and so I always rejoice and give thanks that You died on the Cross to personally save me from the eternal death of sin.
Be guided by the Spirit as you study the Bible
Realize: From the Creation of the world, the Father’s great work to build His Kingdom through His Son and the Holy Spirit is revealed throughout the Old and New Testaments; the Bible is both a record of God’s work and a guide for today.
Believe: Reflect upon the Unity of the Old and New Testaments (CCC 128-130, 1094).
Pray: Holy Spirit, give me the Gift of Understanding so as I study Sacred Scripture, I receive insights from You about Christ’s saving work in the world and how You wish to use me to build the Kingdom.