The Bread of Life

The Bread of Life – Last Sunday our scripture reading was the Fourth Gospel’s version of the feeding of the 5000, and this week’s reading follows that one. The miraculous feeding of the crowd satisfied their hunger, but now the crowd has followed him and Jesus realizes they have come to him now to ask for more bread. In this text, without actually saying “no” to the crowd, Jesus refuses their request, and this is an example that saying “no” can be the most loving thing to do. He declines to give them bread and teaches them the significance of “the bread of life” as a relationship of God with the people. Perhaps this text can hold up a mirror to us: are we missing out on “the bread of life” because we’re so caught up with seeking our own comforts and convenience, our own bread? Are we open to a living relationship with God, even if it takes us out of our comfort zone?