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

'Greater Love: Richie Fernando SJ', a joy-filled Filipino missionary

By -
Image
 I haven't been able to post for more than a week as I was giving an eight-day directed retreat to eight sisters of the Missionaries of Charity near Manila. While I had some access to the internet it was rather slow. I had intended to make a post here on the murder of Fr Fausto Tentorio PIME , a 59-year-old Italian priest, in the Diocese of Kidapawan, Mindanao, on Monday 17 October. I will save that post for a later date. As I was looking for a video about Father Fausto I came across one about Brother Richard Michael 'Richie' Fernando SJ, a Filipino Jesuit scholastic who died while trying to prevent a troubled and disabled young man in Cambodia from throwing a grenade. That was in 1996 - on 17 October. Father Fausto gave his life exactly 15 years later. I remember the mixture of sorrow and pride I felt when I read of the death of Brother Richie, pride as a missionary in the Philippines that a young Filipino seminarian had given his life so spontaneously in order to sav
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