2nd Week of Easter 2021 - Friday - Abundance of Spiritual Food

 Having read through the entirety of Jesus' discourse with Nicodemus from chapter 3 of St. John's Gospel over the past four days, we now begin a week long reading of John Chapter 6.  St. John's sixth chapter is comprised of two miracle stories and a teaching: the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and Jesus walking on the water and the great Bread of Life discourse.  I encourage you to read and reflect on the entire chapter to get a sense of what's coming over the next 8 days.

For the past few days we've heard Jesus talk about the importance of believing in Him that we may have eternal life.  This miracle story seems to answer the question, “what kind of life does Jesus offer?”.  “What kind of life does Jesus offer?” Abundant life.  In the miracle of the multitude he takes the little that is possessed by the few and transforms it into a feast for the multitude.  What is brought to him, is multiplied into an abundance. 5 loaves are not only enough to feed five thousand, but there are twelve wicker baskets left over.

Similarly in the miracle at the wedding at Cana. The Lord doesn’t just transform a mug of water into wine. He transforms 120—150 gallons—of water into wine, more than they would need for the remainder of the wedding celebration.

Finding enough food for sustenance is not easy for a lot of people on this planet. And the Lord provides not only enough for sustenance, but abundance. This is particularly true in the spiritual life. 

Many souls wander around this planet trying to find something to sustain them—to give them courage, to give them inner strength, to give them what they need to make it through this vale of tears. They turn to the new age, they turn to popular psychology, modern philosophy, or the pharmaceutical industry. These may satisfy for a time, but in the end they always leave us exhausted and unhappy. 

But in Christ, we are finally able be fed spiritually in a deep and last manner; and not just with enough nourishment to satisfy us, but with more than we will ever need. The Christian life is an infinite mine in which the more one digs and explores the more one finds. This is evidenced in the life of the saints: abundant means for sanctification are available for those who seek it out. And the reason we are not holier than we are isn’t due to a lack of spiritual food, but because of our refusal to eat it.

“If you remain in me you will bear much fruit. (Jn 15:5)” “I have told you these things that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete (Jn 15:11)” “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it in abundance (John 10:10).”

Through prayer and good works may we dispose ourselves—open ourselves—to be fed by the Lord, sanctified by the Lord, who desires to perfect us and complete us by his abundant grace for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.

For the shepherds of our souls, that they may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd.

For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace of the Risen Christ, especially we pray for the conversion of those who refuse belief in God and Jesus the Christ, His Son.

For our parish, and for the newly initiated, that we may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ.

For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness through the Christian faith.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.