April 27, 2020

St. Peter Canisius, SJ

Jn 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.

A deep hunger

With the end of the school year and graduation ceremonies (in some format) just around the corner, students at all levels of education likely desire to get onto “what’s next.” They are eager to assimilate to something new, something that marks their growth and demonstrates their readiness. One could assert that they are "hungry.” Whether they are hungry for success, a job, a fresh start with new classmates, or something else, and they are growing hungrier by the day!  

Just like our students, as we thirst for this food. Perhaps you’re like me and you’ve grown tired of our dormant state, our working remotely, and our needing to ‘wait.’ Our desire to make up for lost time of the last few months is making us hungry. Just like the graduating student, we also must remind ourselves that we shall not yearn for the “food that will perish.’” Rather, we must work “for the food that endures for eternal life.” We hunger for something more meaningful, more nurturing, more enriching.  

Where can we find this sustenance? Where can we become full? We need to go find our teacher. Yes, that teacher. I have a feeling he has a really good idea of how we can be nourished and satisfied once and for all.   

Let’s go find him.  

—Patrick Kennedy, is a Major Gift Officer for the Midwest Jesuits, holds a Masters degree from the  McGrath Institute for Jesuit Catholic Education at the University of San Francisco.

Prayer

You do not live by bread alone,
but by every word
That proceeds from the mouth of God
Allelu, allelulia!

—Excerpt of “Seek Ye First” by Karen Lafferty, © 1972 CCCM Mucis