Presence.
Here and now.
Forever and always.
This is the promise and reality of Christ. The One who came to dwell in and among us invites us to live day by day, moment by moment in this reality. It is bread and it will feed us – our body, mind and spirit.
Jesus turns towards these inquisitive followers with kindness, gentleness, and compassion. He knows what they most long for. The question they pose, “how did you get here?” could serve as a cue for ourselves to turn. We could become curious and seek to be in the here and now with Christ just as we are.
Christ, the bread of life, is present right here, right now.
May we hear his invitation to join him here, now.
John 6: 24-35 (NLT)
So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him. They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man[f] can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”
They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”
Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”
They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
“Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”
Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
For Reflection and Prayer:
As you listened to the text, was there a word, phrase or image which caught your attention? Gently repeat the word or phrase, giving it room to settle deeply in your heart.
Reflect on what you heard. Relish the words. Notice how the word or words affected you. Which emotions stirred within you? You might choose to journal about what you heard.
Respond to what you heard and reflected on in your prayer with God. Is there a prayer of which rises within you?
Rest in God as you simply be and entrust yourself to God in the quiet.