In the Gospel reading of the 18th Sunday of the ordinary time, the Lord Jesus explains that to labour for the food that lasts by doing the work of God which this act of labouring entails, is to believe in Him (John 6:27-29). What does this assertion mean for us now in our current world, which is full of deceitful lusts? “ The problem of the world is that many do not know how little they need to be okay,”, said a priest friend of mine. How I wish we could appreciate the wealth we have in the Real Presence and the Eucharistic life.
In the “School of Gratitude”, the watch phrase is to give thanks in every situation. With this frame of mind, one will discover that little becomes much. The real famine is not the lack of material food, but the famine of the word (Amos 8:11) engendered by a deep seated selfishness in people’s heart whose god is their belly (Philippians 3:19).
But the word of God comes to heal us of our selfishness. That was why the manna was made in such a way as to sustain the Israel of old, day by day. Those who disobeyed discovered that what they had packed spoilt by morning. Accumulation kills, distribution gives life. God heals the selfishness of humanity by the “Eucharist and the Eucharistic life” left for us as a memorial, whereby we were mandated to do this in memory of the Lord (Luke 22:19). Sharing makes much little, while selfishness makes excess scarce as we experience in the world today.
Therefore, let us endeavour to live by obedience to this word and the values of the kingdom (Romans 14:17), by serving one another in Love (John 13). May we be filled with an unprecedented anointing unto a true desire for righteousness, peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit that the kingdom of God entails as we work assiduously by His Grace for the food that lasts through Christ Our Lord. Amen