By Father Paul Nord, O.S.B.
Sunday Scripture
First Reading: Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15; Response: Psalm 78:3-4, 23-25, 54; Second Reading: Ephesians 4:17, 20-24; Gospel: John 6:24-35
The first reading comes from Exodus 16 — immediately after the Egyptian army was drowned in the Red Sea (Exodus 14) and after Moses and Miriam sang victory hymns (Exodus 15) — praising the Lord God for having saved the Israelites.
Despite this, the Israelites soon begin grumbling against Moses and against God. In Exodus 16, they recall the food of Egypt and grumble about their hunger while at the “wilderness of Sin (Zin).” After journeying to “Massah and Meribah,” the Israelites grumble about their thirst in Exodus 17:1-7. In later Biblical books, “Meribah” is repeatedly invoked to recall the Israelites’ rebellious grumbling against God — see Numbers 20:13, 24; Numbers 27:14; Deuteronomy 32:51 — plus Psalms 81:8 and 95:8 and 106:32.
In response to the Israelites’ two-part grumbling about hunger and thirst, God provided them with both food and drink. God provided them with manna and quail to eat — as described in today’s reading. Likewise, God provided them with water to drink from “the rock in Horeb” (Exodus 17:6-7). God instructed Moses to strike the rock with his staff. When Moses obeyed, God made water flow from the rock.
In this way, God provided for the Israelites’ most basic needs — so that the Israelites might realize their complete dependence upon God. As the Book of Exodus continues, the Israelites sin against God again and again — and he repeatedly calls them back. God insists that they depend completely upon him. Thus with the “bread from heaven” (“manna”), God gave the Israelites strict instructions to only collect enough for one day’s food (with a Sabbath exception). The Israelites were forbidden from storing large amounts of manna for the future — as human insecurity would tempt us to do. In this way, the Israelites were dependent on God every day to provide them with their “daily bread.” God wants the Israelites to “know that I, the LORD, am your God” (Exodus 16:12).
Today’s Gospel comes from John 6 — which began with Jesus feeding a large crowd of people (John 6:1-15). After that, Jesus appeared to his disciples in a miraculous way while they crossed the Sea of Galilee by boat (John 6:16-21). Next is today’s Gospel, in which the crowd vigorously pursues Jesus across the sea. When they find him, Jesus protests their motivation for pursuing him — “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled.”
Jesus challenges the people to seek “the food that endures for eternal life” — which Jesus promises to give them. Jesus refers to himself as “the Son of Man” — a title for God’s Messiah — sent to redeem God’s people. Instead, the people are focused on their earthly needs (food).
This leads to a dialogue between Jesus and the crowd. Their questions indicate that they expect Jesus to teach them how to keep the covenant established by God through Moses. Thus they ask about how “to accomplish the works of God.” They are referring to the “works of God” required by the Law of Moses. But Jesus’ response indicates that he is calling them to something that surpasses the Law of Moses: “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”
That is, Jesus is sent by the Father. Earlier, Jesus said that “the Father, God, has set his seal” upon Jesus. This indicates that Jesus carries God the Father’s authority.
Next, the crowd asks Jesus: “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you?” In John’s Gospel, the crowd repeatedly demands that Jesus perform signs to give them reason to believe that he comes from God. Jesus has just given them a sign — feeding the crowd by the multiplication of loaves and fishes (John 6:1-15) — and yet they demand more.
The crowd recalls, “Our ancestors ate manna in the desert.” Jesus responds that God had given their ancestors this “bread from heaven” — not Moses. Jesus then makes a contrast between the manna and “true bread from heaven” — which Jesus says “my Father gives you.” Note the present tense verb: “gives you.” Jesus is indicating that God the Father is offering to give them this true bread now.
The crowd responds, “Sir, give us this bread always.” They understand Jesus is promising them something now, but they are still thinking of earthly bread. Jesus corrects their misunderstanding by telling them: “I am the bread of life.” Jesus is trying to show them that they need him alone — not food. If they believe in Jesus — and receive him as the bread of life — then they will need nothing else. Thus: “whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”
Finally, our second reading is from the letter to the Ephesians. Paul contrasts “the old self (man)” versus “the new self (man).” Now that they have received Christ Jesus, the Ephesians must “put away” their former way of life. They should be “renewed” in their minds, and “put on the new self.” This is language that Paul uses elsewhere to describe baptism into life with Christ. It is imagery of being “made new” and putting on Christ-like clothing. Similarly, the Ephesian Christians have been “created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.” This “creation” language is similar to what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 — “whoever is in Christ is a new creation.”
Today’s reading omits verses 18-19, which describe the sinful life which the Ephesians have left behind. In these verses, Paul describes how sinfulness causes a “darkening of understanding” and a “loss of sensitivity” to sin. This tragically leads a person to even deeper sinfulness and “hardness of heart.”
When Paul says “you must no longer live as the Gentiles do,” we must remember that many Ephesians Christians were of Gentile — not Jewish — origin. Thus Paul is using the term “Gentile” here to describe those Gentiles who do not believe in Christ Jesus — and thus remain enslaved to sin.