Gospel
THE HOLY GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
ACCORDING TO JOHN
When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal." Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." So they said to him, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."
JOHN 6:24-35
Sermon: The Rev. Dr. Maryann Amor
Loss is universal. We experience it, as we are now as a congregation, having lost a beloved friend and family member. We experience it when we change jobs or move cities. We experience it when we lose possessions, our homes, our stability, our comforts. The impact of loss on our lives can never be fully captured in words. It cuts to our hearts, breaks us in so many ways.
In the midst of loss, our Gospel today offers us a message of strength. Our Gospel picks up following last week’s reading, after Jesus has made 5 loaves and 2 fish feed 5000 people. After this wonderful act, Jesus travels across the sea and some of those who were among the 5000 look for him. When they find him, it becomes clear that their focus is on the benefit they experienced from having the bread multiplied. As Jesus says to them, “you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.” For the people, the importance of what Jesus did was not the wonderful act, but that they had full bellies because of it.
But Jesus wants the crowd to see things differently, to see beyond the physical…see beyond the multiplication of bread to what this symbolises. In verse 35 Jesus refers to bread, using it as a metaphor for himself, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” Jesus is prompting the people to recognize that while physical food, bread, fills them for a while, it will not fill them forever…at some point, after feeling full, they will need more bread. So Jesus wants them to shift their mindset, to see that they need him to be their bread…that they need the spiritual food he offers, because this will fill them, will strengthen and sustain them, forever.
During times of loss, we can be like the crowd. Loss creates a hole, a hunger, within us that is left by those we loved, left by what we have lost…and, with this hunger deep in our hearts, we, like the crowd, look for ways to fill it. As they looked for bread to fill their hungry stomachs, we look for anything in our world that will make our lives feel like they were before…that will make us feel full again. Some will turn to alcohol or drugs, others drown themselves in garbage television, others eat excessive amounts of food or spend money on things they don’t need. The bread we seek, is rarely, if ever available…there is pretty much nothing that can make the pain, the hunger, just go away.
But this doesn’t mean that there is no hope, that there is nothing that could sustain us…because today Jesus offers us a bread to meet this need. As we hunger, as we suffer from loss, he offers us the bread of life, he offers us himself. This isn’t superficial trust in God and it will all be ok theology, but it is recognizing that as we journey through pain, our strength comes from knowing that we need more than the physical world could ever offer us…we need more than multiplied loaves, alcohol or fast food. We need the comfort, the support, the hope found in our God’s presence right beside us through suffering. Because the one who holds out the bread of life to us, is also the one who lamented his beloved Lazarus, who felt the pain of leaving his family as he pursued his mission, who suffered and died on a cross. God is intimately aware of our deepest struggles and we are called to trust that our broken saviour, who is as broken as bread is, is right beside us through it all.
And when it is impossible to feel God’s presence and faith begins to wane…the bread of life appears to us through the gift of the people God has placed around us. Jesus says ‘those who come to me will never be hungry, those who believe in will never thirst.’ We have to choose him, believe and follow him. This means that we live as he taught us to live. We must be the loving people Jesus calls us to be, we must share the blessings God has given to us with others…in times of loss, this means that we reach out with a hug, send food, send prayers, offer whatever support we are able to offer. We are God’s hands and feet in the world, we are the ones who hold out the living bread to those who are in the midst of grief and pain, and we say to them, you are not alone, while others hold out that same bread to us.
So during this difficult time, when it seems like not a single thing can fill the void, Jesus offers us the bread of life. Jesus offers us the powerful reminder that he knows our pain, that he is right beside us as we suffer. And when we cannot believe this, when everything is just too much, God sends the bread of life to us through the love and presence of the people around us. In whatever form the bread of life comes to you, whether it is a hug or a prayer, take it into your hearts and let it fill you forever.
Let us pray, Holy one, in our time of loss, we turn to you for strength. Jesus, the Bread of Life, promises that those who come to him will never hunger and those who believe in him will never thirst. Help us find strength in this promise. As we grieve, fill our hearts with Your presence and nourish our souls with hope and peace. Let your words and promises sustain us and let your love comfort us. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
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