On the next day the crowd ... went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. ... Then they said to Him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." ... Jesus said to them, "I am the Bread of Life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst. ... All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never cast out. ... For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:22a, 24b, 28-29, 35, 37, 40)
It's not surprising that the crowd wanted Jesus to feed them forever; life would be much easier if we didn't have to work to survive. But Jesus has something more important in mind. He wants these people—and you and me, too!—to have the kind of life that goes beyond mere survival; He wants us to be everything God created us to be, living in peace with God and each other.
But how can this happen? Jesus tells them: "Come to Me ... Believe." Jesus does the hard work of saving us. He lays down His own life on the cross in order that we may be forgiven and made new, children of God. And when He rises from the dead, He shares that life with us freely, forever—why? Because He loves us. Because He is the true bread from heaven, which God the Father provides so that we may live.
WE PRAY: Lord, give Me Yourself as my life forever. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
* How often do you eat bread (or rice or tortillas)?
* Why does Jesus call Himself bread and not cake or ice cream?
* What hungers has He met for you?
Lenten Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Today's Bible Readings: Psalms 90 Leviticus 1-2 Mark 5:1-20
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