Breaking the Word

3^rd Week in Easter, Thursday – 05^th May 2022 — Gospel: John 6,44-51

Murmurs of Doubt or Whispers of Faith

The symbol of “bread” is misunderstood by the Jews.  They grumble at Jesus’ claim that he is the bread of life and has come down from heaven. They murmured against Jesus with questions: How could this be? Is he really saying what we are hearing? The Jews respond with murmurs of doubt. They protest that they “know” where Jesus comes from, they are aware of his antecedents. Indeed, we are reminded of two others who asked similar questions, when perplexed by what God was proposing. Upon hearing the announcement that his son John would be born, Zechariah asked, “How shall I know this?” (Lk 1,18). Mary, too, asked the angel, “How can this be?” (Lk 1,34).  Instead of uttering murmurs of doubt or complaints that expresses pre-conceived notions, like Zechariah and Mary, God desires from us pondered whispers of faith seeking understanding. Wherever and whenever our faith is being tested, instead of siding with the doubting crowd, let us offer our questions with faith and great trust.

3^rd week in Easter Time, Wednesday – 04^th May 2022 — Gospel: Jn 6,35-40

Never-Failing Fulfillment

Our daily prayer ‘give us our daily bread’ is fulfilled in that fascinating experience of Jesus becoming the bread of life. With his never-failing words and with his ever-nourishing mystical body he strengthens us. His nourishment is unconditional, never toxic in anyway but ever loving and caring. The experience of this truth brings us closer to him and never takes us away from him. As the life-giving bread, Jesus takes us to the higher degree of life, where we will never be hungry and thirsty for the ordinary pleasures of life. Under the Johannine metaphors of bread, water and life, Jesus symbolically refers to the same reality: a reality, which makes human beings see hunger, thirst and death as insignificant. This is nothing but the divine revelation given to human persons by and in Jesus.