3rd week in Easter, Monday – 27th April 2020 — Gospel: John 6, 22-29
Bread for enduring relationship
Asking the right question is vital for getting to the heart of the matter. The crowd’s opening question (6,25) in this section is not a promising beginning. Clearly the crowds have “missed the boat” or they have failed to grasp the glory of what has happened. Their search is not motivated by seeing the sign, but by filling their bellies (6,26). As so often happens in John, Jesus refuses to answer the question which they have asked, but instead redirects the conversation to more important issues. Because they have focused on the wrong “bread,” Jesus redirects them toward the bread which “endures”. The word meno (Gk) translated ‘endure or abide’ takes on profound meaning as it is used throughout the fourth Gospel (1,32-33; 2,12; 3,36; 5,38; 6,56; 14,10.17; 15,4-7.9-10; 21,22-23), especially to describe the relationship between Jesus and the believer. In the end, this “enduring” or “abiding” will mean nothing less than the Father and the Son dwelling with the believers through the Paraclete (14,23; 6,56). The bread, which “endures” to give eternal life, is this relationship which has been made possible by the incarnation of the Son. In fact, the bread which endures is the Son himself, whom the Father gives for the world.
