When I was in college I had my favorite hamburger chain. It had bigger burgers, more toppings and it was made to order. When I would come home every three years from Peru for vacation in the States, everyone knew that whoever picked me up at the airport had to take me straight to my favorite burger place. Then after returning to the States from Peru in 2018, I experienced cultural shock over all the changes since the late 1970s. The hamburgers had changed! I mentioned to my brother that there seemed to be more bread roll and less meat. He responded that all the chains had gone downhill as far as quality and uphill as far as price. Now in 2026, we are in the middle of a hamburger war. There are news reports about how one hamburger CEO eat a burger during a TV commercial and whether he should have been in the ad or not. Another burger chain has burgers on sale for $3, but only on Wednesdays. See how we like to talk about and concentrate our lives on food. I don’t know about your families, but in the larger friaries, the friars always comment and complain about the food.
The reason I mention these hamburger wars and our fixation with food is that the crowd that formed around Jesus in today’s Gospel was following him because of food. The multiplication of the loaves happened a few days earlier on the opposite side of the lake. The crowd, looking for more food, followed Jesus across the lake, either in boats or walking around the shore to the area of Capharnaum. The text tells us that they searched for him. In the dialog between the crowd and Jesus, we see that the people wanted to see more “signs” or miracles and wanted more food. Jesus speaks about nourishment that comes from heaven and the people request bread. Their understanding or hope was based on the mana that came during their ancestor’s journey through the desert. This is like our current hamburger war. Who has the better bread: Jesus or Moses? Who can do the bigger miracle?
This forced Jesus to speak more directly about himself and the Father. Jesus tells us very clearly that he is the bread of life who comes from God the Father. This is our joy as Christians. This is what we remember and celebrate during this Easter season. But there is more, a deeper joy. Jesus proclaims that the will of the Father is that all who believe in him share eternal life and resurrection. Even though we enjoy talking and complaining about food, burgers, and bread, our joy as Christians comes from participating in the resurrection. That is the desire of God – that all of us live as part of the resurrection.
Don’t get lost in burger wars, the bread, the biggest miracles, or other nonsense. Don’t be like the crowds around Jesus. God the Father’s will is that you participate in the resurrection.
I am the bread of life…
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.
Image: CANVA CJ Dunn 21April2026 AI generated.