THE BREAD OF LIFE!

When, in John’s Gospel (6:51-58), Jesus speaks of himself as the ‘Bread of Life’, his listeners are challenged to embrace his presence in a fresh and robust way. The same challenge is presented to believers today.

At the Eucharistic table we encounter the person of Jesus and the community of believers who are his body. Much more than physical food, it is about being fed through the life, relationships and mission of being a member of the body of Christ.

May we enter deeply into this Eucharistic mystery, attentive to the witness of our brothers and sisters in faith

One such witness is found in the following story told by a missionary priest living in Pakistan for many years.

A typical village kitchen in India.
Photo courtesy Australian Jesuit Mission.

One December I encouraged Rasula to come to our parish for Christmas Day. It would be a community gathering with Mass, food and friends. And so she came and brought along her own eight children as well as some of her relatives and their children.

They arrived late, after Mass, just when the food program was beginning. But Rasula’s main preoccupation was to have her nephew baptised. So off they went to the church.

In the meantime, I was keeping an eye on the food situation hoping there would be enough for them. They had come such a long distance. However the food ran out before they came from the church.

I knew that the Sisters had put aside some rice for ourselves and themselves. I went and asked them for this rice, which they willingly gave. I put it in two large dishes and when Rasula and company arrived I invited them to eat.

They sat and ate. I watched them from a distance, hoping there would be enough for all. As I watched, I noticed that Rasula did not eat. When the family had finished the rice I went and asked, ‘Have you all eaten well?’

‘Yes.’

‘Rasula’, I said. ‘Have you eaten?’

‘Yes’, she replied. ‘I have eaten well.’

‘But I was watching’, I said. ‘You didn’t eat at all.’

She replied, ‘My children have eaten–have I not eaten?’

And for me the ground on which she stood became holy ground. (FN)

In this Year of the Eucharist, may we be responsive to those who hunger for food, and for food that truly nourishes.