April 22, 2015 Wednesday: 3rd Week of Easter
April 22, 2015 Wednesday: 3rd Week of Easter
After the feeding of the multitudes, people were again looking for Jesus. Were they hungry for things which satisfy the body, or the heart and soul? From a practical angle, the people were looking for Jesus not because they believed in His words. The people were looking for Jesus not because they loved Him. They were looking for Him in order to use Him. I am afraid that on certain occasions especially during election time we can be likened to the people in Jesus’ time. Because of bodily needs, some of us allow our votes to be bought in exchange for what is temporal. The values of Jesus which satisfy the soul – honesty, integrity and the truth are easily neutralized.
Jesus echoes the question posed by the prophet Isaiah: “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy,” (55:2). I believe there are two kinds of hunger: spiritual and physical. Only God can satisfy the spiritual hunger – the hunger for truth, for life and for love. Jesus says: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger…”
The big problem that Jesus had with the crowds looking for Him was that while Jesus spoke of a spiritual reality they misunderstood Him to be speaking of material things. Materialistic minds cannot comprehend spiritual truths.
The challenge for us today is to recognize that materialism creates a false hunger, promises satisfaction but leaves us hunger. We hear the word of God but we understand it in terms of satisfying our selfish desires for wealth and power. The cure is to follow the example of Jesus and flee worldly allurements and promises of materialism. Then we can pray with St. Augustine: “O Lord, You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless ‘til they rest in You.” (Fr. Sammy Clarin, SVD Bible Diary 2008)
Jesus echoes the question posed by the prophet Isaiah: “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy,” (55:2). I believe there are two kinds of hunger: spiritual and physical. Only God can satisfy the spiritual hunger – the hunger for truth, for life and for love. Jesus says: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger…”
The big problem that Jesus had with the crowds looking for Him was that while Jesus spoke of a spiritual reality they misunderstood Him to be speaking of material things. Materialistic minds cannot comprehend spiritual truths.
The challenge for us today is to recognize that materialism creates a false hunger, promises satisfaction but leaves us hunger. We hear the word of God but we understand it in terms of satisfying our selfish desires for wealth and power. The cure is to follow the example of Jesus and flee worldly allurements and promises of materialism. Then we can pray with St. Augustine: “O Lord, You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless ‘til they rest in You.” (Fr. Sammy Clarin, SVD Bible Diary 2008)
