20th Sunday in Ordinary Time Reflection
Our Gospel reflects on the Bread of Life discourse, which we hear over several Sundays. In these passages, we see how Jesus uses the image of bread to symbolize sustenance and strength for his people throughout their journey. He performs miracles with it, providing for those who were starving. In this Sunday’s Gospel, we witness Jesus revealing himself as the living bread that came down from heaven. But it doesn’t end there. He adds, “Whoever eats this bread will live forever,” emphasizing that true satisfaction can only be found in Him.
In the process of eating, the primary reason we eat is hunger. We cannot fill our stomachs if they are already full. To eat the food we desire, we first need to be empty or hungry. But after we eat, and as a few minutes pass, our bodies will eventually feel hunger again. This image suggests that to receive, we must first be emptied. In accepting Jesus into our lives, we must empty ourselves so that He can fill that space as the living bread, as our greatest satisfaction.
In this Gospel, Jesus assures us that whoever receives Him will have life because of Him. Jesus has welcomed us from the very beginning. The only question now is, do we welcome Jesus, and do we have space for Him in our lives? My dear friends, may this Gospel encourage us to make room for Jesus in our lives, as He is the eternal contentment who came down from heaven. In the end, the space or emptiness we have will be satisfied as we receive Jesus into our lives.
