Thursday, May 8, 2014

Homily: Thursday of the 3rd Week of Easter - Spiritual Hunger


All of this week, our Gospel readings are taken from the sixth chapter of Saint John’s Gospel.  The sixth chapter of John is usually known as the “Bread of Life Discourse” because in it, Jesus speaks of Himself, as we heard today, as the Bread of Life.  In fact, Jesus refers to himself as the ‘Bread of Life’ 11 times. 

St. John Vianney said, “The soul hungers for God, and nothing but God can satiate it.  Therefore He came to dwell on earth and assumed a Body in order that this Body might become the Food of our souls"

In the years leading up to my own ordination as a priest, I realized a deepening desire for the Eucharist.  Occasionally, there would be days where I couldn’t get to daily Mass, and I would feel spiritually famished, something was missing; I’d feel a real emptiness and hunger inside me.  Many of you could probably relate. 

Spiritual hunger is different than physical hunger.  With physical food, the more I eat the less hungry I am.  With the spiritual food that God gives, the more I eat, the more I hunger. 

This is also why 75% of Catholics who do not go to Church are not banging on the doors to receive the Eucharist which they have denied themselves.  With spiritual food, the less you eat, the less you notice the hunger.  

Plenty of false spiritual food from our culture is available every minute of the day; the false spiritual food leaves us unhappy and exhausted.

Saint John Paul II wrote in one of his last letters to the Church: “God has placed in human hearts a “hunger” which will be satisfied only by full union with him. Eucharistic communion was given so that we might be “sated” with God here on earth, in expectation of our complete fulfillment in heaven.

No philosophy or scientific discovery or piece of technology  or earthy pursuit can satisfy our spiritual cravings.  No amount of money, success, fame, or power.  Only Jesus can fully satisfy.


When Jesus is fully embraced we discover he fills all emptiness and satisfies forever.  For the glory of God and salvation of souls!

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