Come Away By Yourselves

The "Bread of Life" Discourse in John Chapter 6 is a treasure trove of spiritual insights.  Faith in Jesus's person is paramount for the Christian life.  This faith is tested by the audacity of his claims for the Eucharist as well as by the trials and difficulties of our personal Christian vocation.  Jesus promises spiritual satisfaction, eternal life, and, most amazingly of all, intimate communion with him for those who receive the Bread of Life in the Eucharist. 

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Jesus takes his apostles to a lonely place to rest with them.  He offers us the same opportunity in our prayer life and when we practice trust in his constant care for us. We need to distinguish healthy rest from rest that can short-circuit our attempts to refresh ourselves. 

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Prophecy wasn't Amos' original plan for life.  God chose him to be a prophet.  St. Paul speaks of God choosing small and weak people to do great things for him.  God also chooses us for great things: holiness and mission.  Our persona, our role in life, should be more and more determined by God's vision and less by our own or by others'. 

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Prophetic figures are usually violently resisted.  This happened to Christ on the Cross.  Sometimes they are simply overlooked or ignored.   This happened to Christ in Nazareth, with those who knew him well.   Unless we are careful, our own familiarity with Christ could weaken his impact in our life.  We should pray about ways to have new and powerful encounters with Jesus. 

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On the Feast of St. Josemaria, we reflect on one of his most important teachings: the sanctification of work.  After their conversion, the early Christians were encouraged to continue living the same life which God had already given them.  St. Josemaria encourages us to do the same.  Work is a blessing from God and key to a happy, fulfilled life.  Working well is a condition for offering our work to God, thus making it holy and sanctifying ourselves and others in the process.  Our life of prayer is an essential element in sanctifying our work, without times of intense prayer we cannot turn work into prayer.

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In the middle of a violent storm, the apostles find Jesus asleep in the boat.  This divine sleep of the Son of God teaches us important lessons: the need for rest, the importance of trust in God during difficulties, and the great care that God our Father exercises over us.  Only by trusting in God's power and fatherly protection in and through times of trial will we experience our own resurrection to new life.  Only by trusting when times are hard do we come to really believe that God is our Father.

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To love God as God we need to think about Him.  Adoration is not just feelings of awe and veneration, but a deep knowledge of the awesome transcendence of God.  This knowledge empowers our ability to love God more profoundly.  

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Jesus fulfills his promise to "remain with us always" with his presence in the Eucharist.  To believe in his real presence is a game changer in our prayer life and in life in general.  Jesus is alive in the Eucharist so that he can be fully alive in us. 

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Jesus' Sacred Heart reveals the depth of his love for us.  Opened on the Cross, streams of blood and water poured out from Jesus' Heart.  Our own love for God hinges on our having a heart full of compassion, concern, and a practical spirit of service towards others.  As disciples of Jesus, we should be known for our love and care for each other and for all people.  Only by growing in charity will we truly imitate Jesus, our model and our Lord.  If not, our prayer life runs the risk of being inauthentic and hypocritical.


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For the Feast of Corpus Christi we meditate on the Eucharistic hymn "Adoro te devote."  Hidden in the Blessed Sacrament, Our Lord Jesus is truly present: body, blood, soul, and divinity.  This marvel of our faith reveals God's humble and radical love for us.  Our response should be one of ever greater adoration, wonder, faith, hope and love.

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