All That We Need

August 2, 2024 at 11:27 a.m.
Getty image via Canva
Getty image via Canva

By Lisa Valentino, Fiat Ventures

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

In Sunday’s Gospel we read that “the crowd” was looking for Jesus and His disciples. They went and got in boats to find them. When they reached Jesus, they began to question Him. Jesus speaks openly and freely to the crowd about why they were so desperate to find Him. He tells them that they wanted to find Him because they ate of the loaves that He gave them and were filled. In other words, they were satisfied, they received all that they needed.

He speaks to them about “food that does not perish” and “the food that endures for eternal life.” These are words that should speak directly to our own hearts, because they are words that are spoken to you and me today. The Lord always wants to give us more than we need, to fill us so that we will always be more than satisfied.

Think back to a time when you were hungry and had to wait to eat. Maybe it was after a long day at school, and you come home, open the refrigerator and see it empty. You can hardly believe your eyes, you can’t wait to eat, you need something, anything now. Remember what that feeling felt like, not good right? You felt empty.

Here’s the thing, no matter what we eat or how much of it, we will always be hungry again. Our bodies need food to sustain us. We can’t live without food or water, it’s just not possible. The Lord offers us something more!

Jesus tells us all just like He tells this crowd that He is “the bread of life” and “whoever comes to me will never hunger and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” Jesus again is speaking directly to you and me, He is speaking of the greatest gift ever given, the “source and summit” of our faith, the Eucharist!

This is why Mass is so important, each and every time we attend Mass, we have the opportunity to have our hearts, and our lives changed by receiving the Eucharist, the real and true presence, Jesus! The Lord loves us all so much that He physically wants to become a part of us. In this great act of love, He sustains us and fills us and reminds us that we are worthy of His love.



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Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

In Sunday’s Gospel we read that “the crowd” was looking for Jesus and His disciples. They went and got in boats to find them. When they reached Jesus, they began to question Him. Jesus speaks openly and freely to the crowd about why they were so desperate to find Him. He tells them that they wanted to find Him because they ate of the loaves that He gave them and were filled. In other words, they were satisfied, they received all that they needed.

He speaks to them about “food that does not perish” and “the food that endures for eternal life.” These are words that should speak directly to our own hearts, because they are words that are spoken to you and me today. The Lord always wants to give us more than we need, to fill us so that we will always be more than satisfied.

Think back to a time when you were hungry and had to wait to eat. Maybe it was after a long day at school, and you come home, open the refrigerator and see it empty. You can hardly believe your eyes, you can’t wait to eat, you need something, anything now. Remember what that feeling felt like, not good right? You felt empty.

Here’s the thing, no matter what we eat or how much of it, we will always be hungry again. Our bodies need food to sustain us. We can’t live without food or water, it’s just not possible. The Lord offers us something more!

Jesus tells us all just like He tells this crowd that He is “the bread of life” and “whoever comes to me will never hunger and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” Jesus again is speaking directly to you and me, He is speaking of the greatest gift ever given, the “source and summit” of our faith, the Eucharist!

This is why Mass is so important, each and every time we attend Mass, we have the opportunity to have our hearts, and our lives changed by receiving the Eucharist, the real and true presence, Jesus! The Lord loves us all so much that He physically wants to become a part of us. In this great act of love, He sustains us and fills us and reminds us that we are worthy of His love.


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