We Filipinos generally love to eat. Jesus does too! He was often seen eating and drinking with people – bad people at that. This is why some were saying he is a drunkard. He may seem like one, but Jesus eats with tax collectors and other “bad” people at that time, because he knows how powerful sharing a meal is. It is easy and fun to know a person over a good meal, and Jesus takes opportunities like these not just to fill their stomach, but to fill the souls of the people as they partake of the physical food.
Food is important. In the first reading, we see Elijah being fed to prepare him for the journey. This is not only physical food, but spiritual as well. God knows Elijah was tired physically and spiritually, and he made sure Elijah got the nourishment he needed in all aspects.
The gospel further describes the spiritual food we need and he provides. He is the bread of life. He is the living bread. If we only come to him, we will never be hungry, we will have life. Jesus is inviting us to come to him for spiritual nourishment so he can fill us. He is asking us to make Him the God in our lives. Only when we allow him to fill us up with his spirit, with his whole being, will we ever be contented with life. Only when we are filled with God that we will be able to truly live.
Jesus concretized this by instituting the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. He gives us an opportunity to receive him in the host – his whole body, soul, spirit and divinity. We are blessed that He continues to be faithful to us and gives us this beautiful sacrament for us to receive him, for us to be closer to Him. Now it is our choice what we will do with this, if we will take full advantage of it or would just ignore him.
Do I believe in the saying that “you become what you eat” and consume Jesus in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist? Do I come to him for nourishment? Do I accept that I need him in my life, or is my heart hard and believe that I can take care of myself? Do I prepare myself spiritually first before receiving Christ in the Holy Eucharist?
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for reminding me how important it is to quench not only our physical hunger, but more importantly, the spiritual one. Thank you for the Holy Eucharist which enable us to be closer to you. May I make the most of this opportunity and always receive you so I can be more and more like you. Amen.
Have a blessed Sunday!
In Christ,
-g-
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