https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081124.cfm
Jesus Is the Bread of My Life
My dad came to mind when I read the first reading for today’s Mass. While they wandered in the desert for 40 years, the Israelites received “bread from heaven” daily. They couldn’t stuff themselves or collect bread for tomorrow. Everyone received what was sufficient for the day.
For some reason, God only knows, my dad came to mind. I was blessed to get to know him even better during high school when I worked with him during the summer. He was a contractor and built anything out of wood.
Every day, we opened our lunch bucket, and Mom made a couple of sandwiches with two pieces of bread, meat, and some fruit. It amazes me how that little sandwich and some fruit sustained us a whole day in the summer’s heat, mainly when we worked on roofs. But it did.
Our daily bread—we pray in the Our Father, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Just as we needed Mom’s sandwiches to work in the afternoon, we need the food God gives us to do God’s work.
God’s work can be done on a roof, at a computer, praying for someone in a hospital, or anywhere else. When Jesus is our Bread of Life, people notice how we care for them, the love in our hearts when we gladly serve them, and our courage when we forgive them and ask for their forgiveness.
Let us take courage from Elijah, who was depairing in the first reading. The people and the king turned from God and let the world’s values enter their hearts. Elijah was a hunted criminal they wanted to kill. On the run, he wanted to die.
But an angel fed him to sustain his life for a journey to meet the Lord.
God finds His way to give us the courage and strength He gave Elijah. Jesus is our Bread of Life on Sunday in Holy Communion. He is even our Daily Bread of Life in the Sacrifice of the Mass offered daily in Catholic Churches worldwide.
Gospel Challenge:
Please consider receiving the Daily Bread of Life, Jesus, once or twice a week during our weekday Mass in our chapel. Ask God to make you hungry for this Bread from heaven. He can help us follow St. Paul’s direction: “Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.”
You will find life will be much better when Jesus is your Bread of Life. You will be one heart and mind, the heart and mind of Jesus.
Love One Another!
Fr. Rick Pilger, IC
pastor@bscchurch.com
