FROM “BREAD FROM HEAVEN” TO THE “BREAD OF LIFE”

HOMILY FOR THE 18^TH SUNDAY IN THE ORDINARY TIME, YEAR B

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

It is in the passage of the Gospel of today (John 6:24-35) that we notice the terminus ad quem of the importance of bread in the salvation history. The expression used for the bread has gradually been shifted away from the Old Testament “bread from heaven” first to “bread of God” and now in connection with the claim that the “bread of God” gives life to the world, to “bread of Life.” This is indeed a spiritual movement leading us to something so spectacular, eschatological and salvific. The God of Jesus Christ leads us to go beyond the mere satisfaction that the “bread from heaven” can give to the life that the “bread of life” gives.

The First Reading (Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15) shows to us the importance of the “bread from heaven” in the exodus story of the Israelites. Having heard about the complaints of the people, the Lord told Moses “I will now rain down bread from heaven for you.” When the bread finally came, the Israelites not knowing what it was inquired among them: what is it (manna)? That became the name of the bread from Heaven. And actually, the question (manna) which turned out to become the name of the “bread from heaven” was indirectly pointing them to the Christ, the “bread of life” who they would need to discover as the source and summit of their livelihood on earth and in heaven, and as the point to which all other importance attached to bread pointed.

1.      Bread has a universal character. Bread was an all-important commodity of the ancient Near East. From ancient times, the word “bread” was used for food in general; for instance, the account of the punishment given to man after the fall that he would labour for ‘his bread’ (Gen. 3:19) and the admonition given to the foolish and lazy in Proverbs 6:8 concerning how the ant gathers ‘its bread’ during the summer. Bread enjoys the pride of place among other foods that every culture of the world is familiar with it.

2.      Those responsible for bread were important officials. Kings of the ancient world had their personal bakers. It was an important position. This is why the king of Egypt was annoyed with his baker (Exodus 40:1).

3.      Bread was used in sacred meals. Melchizedek, king of Salem brought bread and wine (Gen 14:18).

4.      Bread was included in certain offerings. For they shall offer the offerings made by fire to the Lord, the bread of their God; therefore they shall be called holy (Lev. 21:6). Above all, it had a special place in the sanctuary as the bread of the presence. Here, bread assumes a specific character of offering and a conscious application to holiness.

5.      The manna became the meal that sustained and satisfied the Israelites in their physical journey towards their promised land. In Psalm 105:40, the manna was referred to as the heavenly bread.

6.      And in the New Testament, our Lord referred to himself as the bread of Life, which would now become the meal that sustains and gives life to every person in our spiritual journey towards our promised land, heaven. He later chose the same bread of the Passover to be the symbolic memorial of his broken body; the Eucharist.

Jesus had fed the 5000. And it was so incredible that some were still asking for a miraculous sign to help them believe He was who he claimed to be. The people in the Gospel started seeing Jesus as an artist who had come to entertain them. They needed some sort of concert in order to believe. Thus, they brought up the manna their forefathers ate in the wilderness as the context of their inordinate plea. Their reference to manna even after the miracle of multiplication implies that they saw the incidence of manna as higher than what Jesus had done. Most probably, the bread that fed the 5000 had begun in earthly loaves and was also issued in earthly loaves. So, the manna became for them something totally different from what the miracle of multiplication. Some of them may probably be thinking that since they had witnessed “feeding from something,” they now need to witness “feeding from nothing.” This was the transitional test they needed Jesus to pass.

Jesus answer to them was two-fold. 1) He reminded them that it was not Moses who had given them the manna; it was God. 2) The manna was not really the bread of God. It was the symbol of the bread of God. And so, Jesus puts them right that the manna was meant to be a model of the messiah. The bread of God would become the Christ who came down from heaven to give men life, and not mere satisfaction. So when Jesus said “I am the bread of Life,” it then means that without Christ, life cannot be sustained. And so, whoever partakes of him will no longer know spiritual hunger,

But what is life? Remember, the manna gave satisfaction whereas the Christ gave life. Surely, this life must be beyond the physical existence.

1.      Real Life becomes the new relationship we share with God

2.      That relationship is made possible only by Jesus; without whom, there may be satisfaction and existence, but not life.

3.      If Jesus then is the essential of life, his title as the ‘bread of life’ remains and it’s non-negotiable.

.In Jesus then, the restless soul is at rest, the hungry heart is satisfied. In him, our thirst is quenched. As for our thirst, we must recall how Jesus told the woman at the well that the water He offered would cure her thirst for ever (John 4:13-14). Jesus does not offer bread alone to quench hunger; he also offers some liquid to quench thirst. Little wonder the Gospel in talking about the “bread of life” ended with those similar words “and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” Therefore, we are compelled to repeat with the Psalmist “as the deer pants for running streams, so my soul pants for you, O God.” It is virtuous for us to continue to hunger and thirst for this “bread of life” which Jesus, together with his blood offers us in the Eucharist. Jesus has really made himself the bread of life. So, anyone who wants to grow in life should try to come back to the Eucharist. Everyone who sought the manna found it; so anyone who seeks Jesus would find him. Happy new week. God bless you.