John 6:23-35

Year B - Pentecost +10 or Energy to Witness ¹⁰

August 2, 2015

John 6:23-35

     From time to time we have a sense that our current center is missing in action—we are becalmed against our will. Having a need to be met and a lack of focus about how to proceed leaves us agitated (looking for relief) and depressed (unable to move). We try to search. We give up. We do both at the same time.

     Where will you look? As far as across a sea?

     When we are reunited we ask unimportant questions that are all translatable into "Feed me; fill my need."

     And we hear back, "Look beyond; set a larger context."

     Finally we are able to ask the question we've been yearning to ask, "What must we do to perform the works of G*D?

     Wow, what a question!

     Of course our questions precede our ability to hear a response and we presently confuse our past feeding with a future filling. We hear Jesus' response here in terms of him, not us.

     What we hear here in translation might have gone:

     "How do we move from dying of hunger to milk and honey resources?"

     "Trust in who your G*D Partner has set loose in creation."

     "You?"

     "No, silly, you."

     "We remember you feeding us and manna before that."

     "The bread of G*D is that which comes to give life and meaning to the world. Remember this: from Eve and Adam, you are the bread of life."

     "How can we remember this when our rituals separate us from G*D and turn us from Partners to dependents?"

     "Repeat after me: 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever is in community with me will never be thirsty.' Remember: Partner with Neighb*rs and G*D and all manner of things will be well. Now, go. Feed one another as I have fed you, not as I have fed you."