18thSunday in Ordinary Time [B]

August 4, 2024

John 6:24-35

We are created as creatures of body and soul. Thus, to survive and thrive, our body and soul must be nourished. Feeding our bodies is quickly done through bread or other physical foods. Yet, how do we nurture our souls? What kind of ‘food’ do we need to give to our soul so that it will not perish?

For us Catholics, the answer is obvious. The Body of Christ in the Eucharist is the bread of heaven that nourishes our souls. As Jesus Himself declared, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you (John 6:53).”  However, the real challenge is that we are often tempted, just like people of Israel, to prioritize only the earthly bread. How many of us choose to skip Sunday Mass for work or leisure?

Another challenge is that we often confuse the true living bread with the worldly things that only satisfy our bodies. We tend to equate spiritual things with emotional things. After all, both come ‘from inside’, forgetting that emotional needs remain part of bodily constitutions. Thus, we thought we were spiritually nourished when we felt emotionally charged through different religious experiences. Admittedly, to attend the Mass and to receive the Holy Communion is not always an emotion-filled experience. Yes, some of us feel incredible sensations during the Eucharist, but many are enduring ‘dryness.’ The Mass does not seem to satisfy our deepest longing.  No wonder some begin looking for other options, places, or activities that give us more sensations. We are treating religious activities as no different from other emotionally satisfying events.

The last challenge is trading our spiritual food for our bodily needs. We seek Jesus so that He may satisfy our physical needs. We go to the Church and ask Jesus to heal our sickness, solve our financial problems, or resolve our family issues. Indeed, it is okay to bring our problems to the Lord. After all, He also takes care of us. But, sometimes, we become preoccupied with our problems and then forget the real purpose of the Eucharist, which is to feed our souls. It is like the Jewish people in the Gospel who wanted to make Jesus king because of their stomach and political needs and not for the divine bread.

So, how do we know that our soul is growing through the bread of life? The answer is charity. We know our grace is working in us when we can love more and sacrifice more. We become more patient with difficult people around us. We anticipate the needs of others. We continue to do good things even without recognition. Our souls can only grow and do great things when the bread of life constantly nourishes us.

Surabaya

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP