Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter
One of the more haunting Catholic hymns is “I Am the Bread of Life” by Suzanne Toolan, RSM. Whenever this is sung at Mass, my mind transports me to the profound memory planning my Father’s funeral. I recall singing the songs to decide which ones I would choose. As I read through the lyrics for this song, tears streamed down my face. The tears were not only a product of dealing with my father’s death; they were also from the awe of encountering a song that connected so deeply with my experience and my faith.
Having experienced the resurrection of Jesus, the apostles must have had a sense of wonder and awe that deeply strengthened their faith. Amidst the death of Stephen and the severe persecution by Saul the Apostles stood firm rooted in their Easter joy. What do we do when we feel persecuted? Does our ability to proclaim “the Christ” become diminished? Do spiritual attacks leave us paralyzed or crippled? For the Apostles, Easter joy liberated them from the paralysis of fear and worry. Jesus had shown them the way and that not even death could kill the Spirit of the Lord within them.
The way of discipleship means doing the will of the one who sent Jesus, God the Father. Living according to the will of the Father does not mean a life free of suffering. It seems that the closer we come to living as a faithful disciple, the more regularly we are given opportunities to stand firm in our faith. While the Lord’s trust in my ability to stay resolute is appreciated, there are times when the pressure makes me hunger for things other than spiritual nourishment. Is this why Jesus chose bread as a staple in the diet of our spiritual lives? Indeed, Jesus is the new manna sent from heaven so that we may never again hunger. Yet we, who regularly participate in Eucharist, still hunger for things of the world.
Hunger is a funny thing; it has a mind of its own. Sometimes hunger can drive us to make bad decisions. Yet, if we believe Jesus with our whole heart, mind and soul, then we shall have life eternal. This is the promise from today’s gospel. Do we believe it? When we receive communion, do we allow this spiritual food, the presence of the divine into our bodies? What impact is the intermingling of these divine and human presences?
Consider the times in your life when you have stood firm as examples of you allowing the bread of life to transform your being. Perhaps you know someone who has a spiritual peace beyond your understanding, turn to them for guidance or encouragement. Remember the Lord has turned the sea into dry land. Remember that by receiving the bread of life, we participate in the life, death and resurrection of the Lord, who was, who is and who is to come. Amen! Alleluia!
-Michael Montgomery