Just as Jesus tried to explain the significance of the Bread of Life to his disciples, here are some thoughts about how we should understand the great gift that Jesus offers to us.
The gospel passage we have heard today follows on last weekend’s gospel. Jesus is explaining the fact that he is the bread that came down from heaven (Jn 6:41). These words are as true today as they were when he first spoke them, but even now, we can find it difficult to understand what these words mean.
God sent his son Jesus into the world so that we might understand his desire to be close to us – to all his beloved people. We understand what it means for two people to be close friends, confidants, husband and wife. This is the kind of relationship that God wants to have with each one of us, and he chose to live among us, in the form of another human being so that we could understand his desire. If he had remained far off, we would never have come to understand this level of his love for us.
It’s not always easy for us to understand this relationship between God and us. We can easily grasp the fact that Jesus was a human being, the son of Joseph and Mary, but we find it more difficult to comprehend how he can say I have come down from heaven (Jn 6:42). In order to understand this, we must first hear him tell us that the Father has sent him, and that the Father draws us to him (cf Jn 6:44).
It is God who has always desired this relationship with us. It is He who invites us to gather in this place and in other such assemblies, around his table. It is He who feeds us with special food just as he fed Elijah. We heard about this in the first reading today (cf 1 Kings 19:4-8). Just as God provided food for Elijah, he also provides the bread of angels for us at this Eucharistic table. Strengthened by this food, we too are sent out – just like Elijah, and just like the disciples – to share the good news of the gospel with others.
We need to be reminded of this simple food. That’s why we need to keep coming back to his banquet, to receive the Eucharist over and over. We also need to hear the encouragement that Saint Paul offered to the early Christians at Ephesus. His words also speak to our hearts: we have all been marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit (cf Eph 4:30). Therefore we need to remember every day that we are much more than just physical beings existing in the world. This is why Saint Paul urges us to resist all temptations toward bitterness, anger, wrath, slander and malice, and instead to be kind to one another, tender-hearted and forgiving of one another (Eph 4:31-32).
Here then is our homework for this week: we have gathered in the presence of our God, let us present our prayers to him today: praising him for his goodness and asking him to help us. Let us receive graciously the food that he offers us so that it will strengthen our hearts and souls, and let us set out on the journey, seeking only to practice the virtues that he has taught us.
What is he saying?
The gospel passage we have heard today follows on last weekend’s gospel. Jesus is explaining the fact that he is the bread that came down from heaven (Jn 6:41). These words are as true today as they were when he first spoke them, but even now, we can find it difficult to understand what these words mean.
God sent his son Jesus into the world so that we might understand his desire to be close to us – to all his beloved people. We understand what it means for two people to be close friends, confidants, husband and wife. This is the kind of relationship that God wants to have with each one of us, and he chose to live among us, in the form of another human being so that we could understand his desire. If he had remained far off, we would never have come to understand this level of his love for us.
It’s not always easy for us to understand this relationship between God and us. We can easily grasp the fact that Jesus was a human being, the son of Joseph and Mary, but we find it more difficult to comprehend how he can say I have come down from heaven (Jn 6:42). In order to understand this, we must first hear him tell us that the Father has sent him, and that the Father draws us to him (cf Jn 6:44).
It is God who has always desired this relationship with us. It is He who invites us to gather in this place and in other such assemblies, around his table. It is He who feeds us with special food just as he fed Elijah. We heard about this in the first reading today (cf 1 Kings 19:4-8). Just as God provided food for Elijah, he also provides the bread of angels for us at this Eucharistic table. Strengthened by this food, we too are sent out – just like Elijah, and just like the disciples – to share the good news of the gospel with others.
We need to be reminded of this simple food. That’s why we need to keep coming back to his banquet, to receive the Eucharist over and over. We also need to hear the encouragement that Saint Paul offered to the early Christians at Ephesus. His words also speak to our hearts: we have all been marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit (cf Eph 4:30). Therefore we need to remember every day that we are much more than just physical beings existing in the world. This is why Saint Paul urges us to resist all temptations toward bitterness, anger, wrath, slander and malice, and instead to be kind to one another, tender-hearted and forgiving of one another (Eph 4:31-32).
Here then is our homework for this week: we have gathered in the presence of our God, let us present our prayers to him today: praising him for his goodness and asking him to help us. Let us receive graciously the food that he offers us so that it will strengthen our hearts and souls, and let us set out on the journey, seeking only to practice the virtues that he has taught us.
Que dit-il?
Le passage de l'évangile que nous avons entendu aujourd'hui fait suite à l'évangile de la fin de semaine dernière. Jésus explique le fait qu'il est le pain qui est descendu du ciel (Jn 6,41). Ces paroles sont aussi vraies aujourd’hui que lorsqu’il les a prononcées, mais même maintenant, nous pouvons rencontrer de la difficulté à bien comprendre ce que ces mots signifient.
Dieu a envoyé son fils Jésus dans le monde afin que nous puissions comprendre son désir d'être proche de nous - à tous ses êtres chers. Nous comprenons ce que cela signifient pour deux personnes qui sont de grands amis, ou des confidents, ou la relation entre un époux et son épouse. C'est le genre de relation que Dieu veut avoir avec chacun de nous, et il a choisi de vivre parmi nous, comme être humain pour que nous puissions comprendre son désir. S'il était resté loin, nous n'aurions jamais compris ce niveau de son amour pour nous.
Il n'est pas toujours facile pour nous de comprendre cette relation entre Dieu et nous. Nous pouvons facilement comprendre le fait que Jésus était un être humain, le fils de Joseph et de Marie, mais nous trouvons parfois plus difficile de comprendre comment il peut dire qu’il est descendu du ciel (Jn 6,42). Pour comprendre cela, il faut d'abord saisir le fait que le Seigneur l'a envoyé et que notre Père céleste nous attire à lui (cf Jn 6,44).
C'est Dieu qui a toujours désiré cette relation avec nous. C'est lui qui nous invite à nous rassembler ici et dans d'autres lieux de culte, autour de sa table. C'est Lui qui nous nourrit de la nourriture spéciale, tout comme il a nourri Élie. Nous en avons entendu parler lors de la première lecture aujourd'hui (cf 1 Rois 19,4-8). Tout comme Dieu a fourni de la nourriture à Élie, il fournit également le pain des anges pour nous à cette table eucharistique. Renforcés par cette nourriture, nous aussi nous sommes envoyés - tout comme Élie et comme les disciples - pour partager la bonne nouvelle de l'Évangile avec d’autres personnes.
Nous devons nous rappeler de cette nourriture simple. C'est pourquoi nous devons continuer à revenir à son banquet, à recevoir l'Eucharistie chaque semaine. Nous avons également besoin d'entendre les encouragements que Saint Paul a offerts aux premiers chrétiens d'Éphèse. Ses paroles parlent aussi à notre cœur: nous avons tous été marqués du sceau du Saint-Esprit (cf Ep 4, 30). Par conséquent, nous devons nous rappeler chaque jour que nous sommes beaucoup plus que des êtres physiques existant dans le monde. C'est pourquoi Saint Paul nous pousse à résister à toutes les tentations d'amertume, de colère, de calomnie et de malice et de remplacer ces traits par la pratique constante d’être plein de générosité et de tendresse ... et de se pardonner les uns aux autres (Ep 4,31-32).
Voici donc nos devoirs pour cette semaine: nous nous sommes réunis en présence de notre Dieu, présentons-lui nos prières aujourd'hui: rendons-lui grâce pour sa bonté et demandons-lui de nous aider. Recevons gracieusement la nourriture qu'il nous offre pour qu'il renforce nos cœurs et nos âmes et partons en voyage, cherchant seulement à pratiquer les vertus qu'il nous a enseignées.
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