John 6: 24-35 (Common English Bible)
The events in John chapter six preceded Jesus’ arrival at Capernaum and provide an important narrative for understanding Jesus’ words on the bread from heaven. The crowds have been following Jesus and his disciples in towns along the western shoreline of the Sea of Galilee. The people there have just experienced the miraculous feeding of the fish and loaves to the hungry crowds.
However, the crowds misunderstood the significance of the bread and fish. Jesus tells them to not focus on material bread which will eventually perish, but on spiritual food that will last forever (verse 27). Their worldview is too earthly and temporal. The vision of the crowds needs to align with God’s purpose to usher in the eternal kingdom of God. This will not only feed the body but also heal the soul, transform the mind, renew the spirit and liberate the whole self to view the world in a totally new way. This is the meaning of repentance.
According to Jesus, hunger for bread represents a deep spiritual longing. It is the theme of an exchange between Jesus and a crowd of hungry people. The author of the fourth gospel describes the crowds that followed Jesus as dedicated believers. Belief is the power that causes miracles to happen.
Jesus miraculously transforms five loaves of bread and two fish into an abundance so generous, that it feeds a crowd of five thousand. Now, you can take this story as a literal event, or perhaps as a symbol of people gathering together to help one another and making sure no one is left hungry. A symbol of what things will be like in the kingdom of God on earth.
When the crowds ask Jesus, “Sir, give us this bread all the time.” Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry” (verse 35).
Jesus is talking about spiritual bread that will never spoil. Behind the symbol of the bread is the eternal truth. To be human is to yearn for meaning and wholeness. That hungry yearning has inspired poets, musicians and artists. For the latter, just remember the artist Vincent van Gogh and the movie about him, “Lust For Life” with Kirk Douglas. This same yearning encourages scientists to experiment and explore unknown galaxies. And look at adventurers like Leif Erickson who was the first European to discover America. These are examples of what makes us human.
In our own market economy, powered by highly sophisticated advertising, promises fulfillment, happiness and tells us the answer to our hunger is purchasing the right vehicle, clothing, jewelry and visiting the right resorts and traveling to exotic locations on a luxury cruise.
The bold and countercultural claims of Jesus is that all of these examples are like bread that spoils. There is only one thing that ultimately satisfies the deep hunger. The Protestant Reformers of the 16th century taught that faith itself is a gift from God to end that hunger. It is the gift that gives us the ability to believe, to have faith and trust in God.
In the sacrament of Holy Communion, we are reminded not only of our physical hunger but also our hunger for wholeness and redemption. We consume the bread and drink the wine together, confess our hunger and trust in Jesus the Christ. This not only fills our hunger but also combines Christ’s own unconditional love.
There is a difference between hunger and hungering, between being thirsty and thirsting. When we are hungry and thirsty, we need something to eat and drink. But when we are hungering and thirsting we crave something deeper. In a spiritual viewpoint, if we know and trust Christ as the Source of all good things, we want more of Christ and Christ’s teachings to learn.
Jesus urged his followers to think about him in a way that is similar to eating a piece of bread. He invites us to consume his love and teachings. Jesus wants his wisdom and actions as something that enters our mind, our heart and our soul. We are spiritual beings, which is more important than our culture’s constant emphasis about the importance of possessions, power and prestige. None of these are capable of satisfying the deepest hunger of our soul. Just watch the opening and closing parts of the famous movie “Citizen Kane.” The true abundant life radiates from the One who is the authentic Bread of Life.
The Church in the United States is at a crossroad, caught between a past and often captive to wealth, racism and discrimination to other genders like the LGBTQ community. God is responding to the Churches' anxiety about the future, but what is being offered by God will be different than what existed before. The Church reinvents itself about every 500 years. When God offers us a new nourishment, will Christians say, “what is it” and reject it, like the religious leaders rejected Jesus? Or will the Church accept it like a delicious bowl of morel mushrooms? I pray so.
AMEN
