Yearn for the real food

Monday of the 3rd week of Eastertide

John 6:22-29

At this stage, Stephen was already giving glory to God by testifying, to the consternation of the pharisees.

Meanwhile, in the Gospel, Jesus confronted a crowd that was only interested in physical food and not the one that lasts forever.

For us to truly experience what true Easter means, we need to shift from preoccupation exclusively with worldly things and aim for the food that really gives us life.  What is this food?

First, that food is Jesus himself and how we regard him;  is he Lord only of the heavens, or someone who resides deep in our hearts?

Second, his word.  His word is food that gives life and being, heals us, consoles us, strengthens us, molds us.  His word continues to resound this very moment as we listen to him.

Third, his paschal mystery is food for our entire being.  Life is an experience of passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  If our preoccupation is physical food, think of the paschal mystery when Jesus too entered the world of hunger and experienced death which is exactly our reality.  But he rose again.  His resurrection resounds till this very moment and calls us to resurrect from our sad state and aim for true life and being.

Only then can we experience true life.