April 16, 2018

John 6:22-29

The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there. They also saw that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.”

Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?”Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.

Truly living in Jesus

Just like the disciples, we are on a constant quest to be content. We look for contentment in our relationships, our ambitions, our possessions, and other aspects in our life. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in “our quest” to be content in our day-to-day lives that we get in our own way. We begin to take these aspects of our life way too seriously and become ungrateful. We forget that most of these aspects represents the “food” that will eventually perish and that will never totally satisfy us or give us peace. As a result of this obsession with being content, we miss out on the joy in life.

In contrast, Jesus shows us another way. He fills us with the food of his love, faith, and joy. This “food” from Jesus nourishes us. What can we do to find it? The answer is in the attempt. It is like the old Godspell song, Day by Day. We simply must desire and strive to know, love, and follow Christ more intentionally all the days of our life. If we pursue this, we will discover and experience Jesus working through us giving us the food (love, faith, joy) that enables us to truly live in him and with him. Now and forever. Amen.

—Dr. Sajit U. Kabadi is Chair of the Theology Department and was recently named Assistant Principal for Mission, Ministry, and Diversity at Regis Jesuit High School in Colorado.

Prayer

O most merciful Redeemer, friend and brother, 
May I know Thee more clearly, 
Love Thee more dearly, 
Follow Thee more nearly.

—St. Richard Chichester