What are you working for?

By -

 

 

 

I was reading a post from some people who were complaining that milk purchased at my local grocery store was always going bad before its expiration date.

I am thinking they are right, because when my milk seemed a little off, I questioned it, but then, noticing it was not expired, assumed my nose must be off.

When the idea of "perishing" came up in the Gospel of John (Chapter 6:27), Jesus wasn't talking about milk when he said, "Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures for eternal life." 

Surely, none of us would ever work hard for something that is just going to go away in time, would we?  

Well, uh, maybe. 

I would suggest that too often we do focus all of our energy on those very things that will not lead us to eternal life.

Jesus told the group that the "work of God" (the food that endures for eternal life) is to "believe in the one he sent."  In other words, believe in him. 

Jesus knew, as we do, that belief in him changes everything and moves us to love greater, to be more generous, to care for each other and to be selfless, i.e., do the work of God!

But, the group wasn't really quite sure about all that, so they asked him for a sign so they could believe.

"I am the bread of life," he told them.  If you see me, you have your sign! 

That beautiful sign, the Real Presence of Jesus that continues in the Mass today, renews us and fills us with the strength and motivation we need to work for food that never perishes.

Happy Easter!

Janet Cassidy
janetcassidy.com
Follow my Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/
Check out my YouTube Channel at:
https://www.youtube.com/@janetcassidy


 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Memorare

By Helen Gonsalves -
Image
This popular prayer, a favorite of many Catholics, dates back to the 15th century and takes its name from the first Latin word of the prayer, "memorare," which means "remember." The Memorare is of unknown authorship, although it has been attributed to St. Augustine (354-430), St. John Chrysostom (c. 347-407) and, with more reason, to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (c. 1090-1153). St. Bernard's sermons on Mary were famous, and it was his Cistercian monks in the monastery of Citeaux in the 12th century who popularized the name "Our Lady" for Mary. The Memorare has also been attributed to the French cleric Claude Bernard (1588-1641), known as the "poor priest" of Paris, whose homilies contain passages that echo its words. No matter who wrote this prayer, it was Father Bernard who did much to popularize it, teaching it in hospitals and prisons, where Mary's intercession was effective in working miracles of grace. The first manuscript of the Mem
Read more

The Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary

By -
Image
This is the image most often associated with the writings of the Belgian mystic Berthe Petit. She promoted devotion to the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary. During my preparation for the retreat I am giving at the end of the month in Pantasaph, North Wales, I began reading a book by the late John Haffert (once the lay leader of the Blue Army of Fatima). His theory in the book, which speaks of God's "last effort" to convert the world before the coming chastisement, is that we are now living in the third or fourth "day" of the Fatima week. At this time, according to Haffert, we should be promoting devotion to The Immaculate Heart of Mary. I also consulted another book by Dr. Courtnay Bartholomew (whom I have been privileged to meet) which also speaks of the importance of this devotion, linking it with the writings and visions of the mystic Berthe Petit, and the importance of the full title of the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. These things will feature in
Read more

Why Modesty Is Not Subjective

By -
Image
Hi there, ya'll!  The modest fashion world is one very diverse place.  Even among Catholics, the definition of "modest apparel" can vary greatly from person to person.  Recently I joined a Facebook group that advertised itself as a haven for Catholic women of all ages to share ideas for modest style and makeup and was hoping to learn more about modesty from my fellow Catholic sisters.  After a few days of being a member, though, I sadly left the group feeling a bit discouraged.  No two members seemed to agree on ANY aspect of modesty whatsoever, and the prevailing theme of the whole group was that modesty is subjective, it means something different for each woman and each woman gets to decide what she considers is "modest".  One woman very emphatically declared that she wears bikinis every summer to the beach and doesn't feel that this violates the virtue of modesty in the least.  The same woman also announced that she was never going to caution her d
Read more