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A WORD FROM THE PASTOR
My Preoccupation Is With What Food?
In the depression years of the 1930's, millions of Americans were out of work and many thousands were hungry. In a number of cities religious groups set up breadlines to feed the hungry. One of these was the Franciscan monastery at Cincinnati, Ohio. Every evening, the Friars, Brothers and lay volunteers prepared and gave a nourishing sandwich of bread and meat to hundreds of hungry men and women. It was interesting to note the reactions of the recipients.
Many accepted the well-prepared and well-wrapped food with a smile and a thank you. Some, with head hanging, snatched the food package and shuffled off. Some tore the bag at once and started eating as they hurried away. Most of them ate every last crumb after a silent prayer and put the wrapping into a nearby container. Some ate only the meat and discarded the bread on the roadside. A few discontented ones just opened the package and then threw the entire contents away in protest. The way those hungry unfortunates reacted to that little lunch is a lot like the way Jesus' listeners received his words in today's gospel.
The Gospel presents an introduction to Jesus' famous discourse on the Holy Eucharist in the form of a dialogue between Jesus and the Jews who had gone around the lake and come to Capernaum searching for him. The people were looking for a repeat performance of their miraculous feeding. In answer to their question about his arrival, Jesus told them that they looked for him for another free meal and that such meals would not satisfy them. Hence, he instructed them to labor for food that would give them eternal life. But they reacted like the hungry unfortunates did in the above said story!
Most of us eat well. To have three square meals a day is not uncommon. In addition to breakfast, lunch, and supper, many eat five or six times a day including coffee breaks, evening snacks and other times. Drive through a town of any consequence and count the number of fast food places and restaurants that are found. At some corners of major roads or along a block or two of a busy thoroughfare you may find five to ten feeding establishments.
It's common to find McDonald's, Burger King, Sonic, Arby's, Subway, Pizza Hut, Domino's, Dairy Queen, Long John Silver's, Wendy's, and Taco Bell as well as lesser known or local look-a-like fast food establishments in close proximity. Go into a major supermarket and count the variety of products that are similar. The only visible difference often is in the trade name. Whole aisles will be filled with a vast array of cereals. Another aisle will be filled with competing brands of soft drinks: Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Royal Crown, 7-Up, and lesser known or store brands.
At the same time, try to find in the same area a religious bookstore. Compare the size of the religious book and supply store with the supermarket. It does not appear that people are as eager to be fed spiritually as they are to be fed physically! The Gospel according to St. John chapter 6 takes the preoccupation of the crowds with food and drink as an occasion to move from physical eating and drinking to the more important needs of the spirit.
Nourishment is needed for spiritual life and growth. What importance do I give to spiritual food in comparison to physical food? My preoccupation is with what food? What you feed yourself, you shall be!
In the Service of the Lord,
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