"I am the living bread that came down from heaven"
(John 6:51)
 
A couple of Sundays ago Pope Francis highlighted the spirit of compassion of Jesus to see the hunger of the crowd that followed him. He also stressed "the compassion of the boy who led him to offer what he had." For Francis the Gospel of John "shows us again Jesus attentive to the basic needs of people." Francis also said "that Jesus did not just give food for the body (but) offered him his Word, his consolation, his salvation and finally his life”. Hence, we, his disciples, we cannot ignore it. For Pope Francis “Only by listening to the simplest requests of people and being on the side of their concrete existential situations that they will be willing to hear when we preach them about higher values”. With similar words Blessed Pope Paul VI, soon to be canonized, said that "we cannot preach the Gospel to empty stomachs."
What a joy to reflect on this Gospel on the eve of opening our mobile food pantry. In a way, our entire parish with the help of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York will help to satisfy the hunger of the poor. In this way we are not distant and calm spectators. The proclamation of Christ, bread of eternal life, demands a generous commitment of solidarity with the poor.
 
The first reading shows us how God supported Elijah in his passage through the desert even with bread and water when the prophet was already given up. The divine sustenance served Elijah for his pilgrimage during 40 days or the equivalent of a long time. This passage is important not so much about the survival of Elijah, but as the persistence with which the Angel of God visits his servant more than once. So, we are called to do good and bring bread, freedom, justice, and peace not only once but until the expected fruit is achieved whether in our children, family, church or community.
 
St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, second reading, gives us a list of how we should treat one another: "Take away all bitterness, anger, anger, yelling and slander, and all malice. Instead, be kind… compassionate, (and) forgiving. Eliminate the negative and choose the positive.” Although we know that this is not easy or it is always possible, it helps to see the goodness, or the potential for goodness, in everyone. “Be imitators of God.” (Ephesians 5:1).
 
The bread that Jesus gives us is the "Bread of Life" that helps us to sustain ourselves in our pilgrimage to God. Without pretending to be like the Prophet Elijah, always his figure will help us to know that like him, even in times of difficulty, Jesus himself wants to be our sustenance. May the Bread of Life sustain us during these times. Together with Pope Francis we pray to the Virgin Mary, "so that in the world programs dedicated to development, to food, to solidarity prevail, and not those of hatred, of armaments and of war."
 
 
Fr. Hernán, SJ.