Bread of Life

Dear Diary,

I was reading the Gospel of John, chapter 6 earlier. For those who know me a little more, they will probably assume that all I am interested is verse 53 which is a very contentious one for that sacramental nature of the Holy Eucharist. =P Haha... We had some really debates over it but whatever you think, I think you gotta admit that it is definitely more than just a memorial feast.

However, equally interesting in the discourse of Jesus is when he said, “I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (Jn 6:35) Amazing stuff if you ask me. Just earlier, Jesus fed five thousand people with five loaves and two fishes (Jn 6:9) in the second recorded Passover in the gospel of John. Think Corrinne May’s song “Five Loaves and Two Fishes”. ;-) hee... The first Passover recorded in John was when Jesus turned water into wine. The second Passover was when he multiplied the bread and the fishes. The third one will be the one when he turned bread and wine into his body and blood. There is an amazing link. In fact, bread seems to be such a topic for our Lord.

In the Gospel of Luke, it was recorded for us that two disciples (one of which is Peter) were walking towards Emmaus and was joined by another man. They only knew who this very man was when he broke the bread and gave it to them (Luke 24:31). In the Upper Room during the Last Supper and before the arrest of Christ, Jesus broke bread and gave them to the disciples. Even just before Jesus reinstated Peter with the three “Do you love me” questions, he broke bread and gave it to them. It must have all highlight the very importance of bread which is the very essence of our faith.

However, didn’t Moses write that man shall not live on bread alone but by every word of God (Deuteronomy 8:3)? In fact, Christ Jesus used this same quote to rebut the temptation of the Devil in that 40 days he spent in the wilderness. We can see the parallel here because Jesus is the Word of God made flesh as the Gospel of John tells us in the opening verse of the book (Jn 1:1). Therefore, we are prepared by the Word of God and nourished by its wisdom. It is no coincidence that in some of the most difficult situations in life, it is the most religious people (priests and nuns) who survive better than the fittest people (marathon runners and bodybuilders)... this is especially evident in the concentration camps of Hitler’s Germany during World War II. The reason? I would postulate that it is because these religious are sustained by the meaning God given to their lives. So it is very much an act of faith when Jesus spoke about coming to this “bread” and never hungering or thirsting.

Faith is a very important aspect of life which we constantly fail to see. Haven’t we always watch Chinese drama serials and suddenly that guy realises that he is an illegitimate child or an adopted child or whatever... We can never see or remember the moment we came out of our mothers’ wombs (am I wrong to say that? =P). It is purely by faith that you believe what your parents or relatives told you that they are your parents! So you recognise your parents purely by faith. As much as you believe that World War II really did happen or that electricity does run in a close circuit without actually witnessing them yourself, we need faith to recognise our Father in heaven. Therefore, it isn’t such a huge faith to have such a faith, isn’t it? You are having it all the while. ;-)

Nevertheless, this faith and belief in God is different because it gives life. It removes that ultimate hunger and thirst. Jesus, who is the Word of God and the bread of life, do exist. That is why the Word of God is NOT just philosophy, technology or science. It surpasses them all because only the Word can give meaning to life. If I should say that in the church, two tables exist. One for the sacrament; the bread of life, and the other is the pulpit / lectern; the Word of God. Hence we can be nourished by this “Bread of life” through hearing and through consuming.

With such faith, comes hope. In the event of losing someone to death, even those of the strongest faith will be sad (remember Jesus when he wept during Lazarus’ death). However unlike the faithless, the faithful sees hope and meaning in that death. There is that confidence because as I read on in John 6, I came to verse 39 which says “it is the will of Him who sent me that I should lose nothing at all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.” That reminds me of what Paul said, “God, our Saviour, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim 2:4)

May we have confidence, exercise our faith and proclaim the good news to the whole world. Amen.

God Bless,

Andrew