Today’s Gospel is the beginning of what is commonly called the “Bread of Life Discourse.” In this discourse Jesus declares: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” (John 6:34). This discourse reflects on the deeper meaning of Jesus’ feeding of the five thousand, a sign that he has just performed. In today’s Gospel Jesus tries to move the crowd from a literal meaning of the feeding to a deeper or spiritual meaning. Jesus challenges the crowd:
“Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.”
This bread or food that “endures for eternal life” is Jesus himself since he is the Bread of Life.
When the crowds ask what they must do to “accomplish the works of God,” Jesus replies that one work is needed, that is faith: “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.” So, the primary work or will of God is to believe in Jesus and so believe in the love of God:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:16-18)
Flowing from this faith/work of believing “in the one God sent” is the command to love one another:
“I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35).
You and I are invited today to do the “work of God” by placing our faith and trust in the love of God as that love was made real and concrete in the incarnation. Jesus wants to “feed” us with this love of God by his life and ministry of service and sacrifice.
Image: “People-Buying-Bread-in-the-Market__IMG_4697_cr” by Public Domain Photos is licensed under CC BY 2.0.