| Reading 1 | Response | Reading 2 | Gospel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ex 16:2-4, 12-15 | Ps 78:3-4, 23-24, 25, 54 | Eph 4:17, 20-24 | Jn 6:24-35 |
| RCL: Ex 16:2-4, 9-15 | RCL: Eph 4:1-16 |
Bread of life: coming down from heaven
During Ordinary time the Lectionary presents stories and teachings from Jesus’ everyday ministry. This week’s readings focus on the bread coming down from heaven.
First reading (Ex 16:2-4, 12-15)
The first reading is from Exodus, the second book of Torah. Today’s pericope is the story how God feeds the complaining Israelites in the wilderness. Bread and meat are the Hebrew staples; God provides both (“manna” and “quail”). The idea that the Israelites might starve (“die of famine”) is understandable. In Egypt, their masters provided meals for the Hebrew slaves; in the wilderness, the liberated slaves must fend for themselves. God rains down “bread from heaven” to feed the people, a sign of God’s care and concern. The Hebrew phrase man hu (מָן הוּא), or manna, means “what is it?” Later Jewish thought connected God giving food in the wilderness with God giving Torah in the wilderness; Torah becomes God’s life-giving spiritual food and God’s very presence. The Lectionary editors chose this reading because this “bread coming down from heaven” is the context of today’s gospel.
Second reading (Eph 4:17, 20-24)
The second reading is from the semi-continuous reading from the letter to the Ephesus ekklesia. In today’s pericope, the author sets out his two goals: to reject the non-believers’ way of life (“no longer live as gentiles do”) and to encourage unity among believers through common ethical virtues (“put on the new self”). Here the author uses “gentiles” to identify all those outside the believing community. The “futility of their minds” suggests people who are completely turned away from and turned against God (see Rm 1:21). The author contrasts this outside group with believers who have experienced metanoia, a change of mind/heart, and who have turned toward God. “Taking off” and “putting on” are baptismal images: the baptismal elect removed their old clothes, were submerged in the baptismal waters, and then put on new, white garments to complete their initiation. The author uses this liturgical image to show how a physical change (clothing) also indicates a spiritual change (“renewed,” “new self”). The Lectionary editors chose this reading as part of Ordinary time’s semi-continuous reading from Ephesians.
Gospel (Jn 6:24-35)
John’s gospel continues the story of Jesus feeding five thousand (Jn 6:1-71). Today’s pericope, from Jesus’ “bread of life” discourse, explains and interprets Jesus’ sign. Jesus uses the crowd’s misunderstanding to reveal his identity and mission.
- What sign can you do? Jesus’ feeding sign when “Passover was near” recalls Israel’s wilderness experience. The wilderness wanderings connect Moses, God’s gift of manna (“the bread from heaven”), and God’s giving of Torah, God’s never-failing nourishment and presence. Because Jesus claims to be greater than Moses (“on [the Son of Man] God has set his seal”), the crowd wants Jesus to “do a sign” greater than both manna from heaven and God’s life-giving presence in Torah. Jesus answers that he is the-one-coming-down from heaven; he is God’s very presence come down; he gives life not just to Israel (as Torah did), but to the whole world.
- Give us the physical bread over and over. The crowd continues to misunderstand Jesus’ teaching about his feeding sign. They ask that Jesus give them the same physical bread from heaven” again and again.” The Greek adverb πάντοτε/pántote means an “ongoing giving,” a continual repetition of the same action.
- I am the bread of life. Correcting the crowd’s confusion, Jesus states plainly that he is the bread of life. Jesus gives himself as a food (manna) and is God’s presence (Torah) that produces eternal life for all who believe. To feed on God’s wisdom or Torah means to take it in, to learn from it, and to allow it to transform (metanoia) one’s life.
Summary and reflection
This week’s readings ask us to think about the meaning of food from heaven. In Exodus, Moses asks God to give the Israelites food in the wilderness, and interprets its meaning. The Ephesians author contrasts believers who have experienced the metanoia of turning toward God with those who have rejected the good news and who have turned away from God. John shows how Jesus’ feeding sign reveals Jesus as the one coming down from heaven to reveal God, to be God’s presence to all, and to give eternal life to all who believe. How do we experience and live the sign of God’s care, presence, and life? Do we murmur about the things we give up (time, money, behaviors) to be counted as a church-going Christian? Have we fully experienced the metanoia that turns us toward God and away from relationships and things that don’t serve God? Do we keep asking God for the same sign over and over, failing to recognize the greater truth of God’s life and presence hidden in plain sight?
—Terence Sherlock
The Lectionary In Context 