Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

THE WORD

Ac 8,26-40 / Jn 6,44-51

[Jesus said to the crowd,] “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. It is written in the prophets: ‘They shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will

live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

IN OTHER WORDS

Some years ago, at the approach of a severe typhoon in my seaside parish, fifty-seven families who lived on a spit of land, which was almost completely sand, sheltered in the parish buildings.

With the DSWD, we tried to make them comfortable. Mostly friendly and good humoured, they cooperated. Only a few complained about food, especially.

When we cleaned up the next day after the people had left, we found some DSWD utensils had disappeared. Blame was hurled on the village people but I trusted most of them and knew they didn’t steal. Most of them in fact were upset about what had happened.

In the desert, the people seem to have been in the habit of complaining to God who more than once had to give them a temporary dole-out in their particular situation. They complained even about the manna. They rebelled, in spite of the evidence that God was looking after them, as shown in the manna. Finally, the whole generation that had come out of Egypt died in the wilderness.

Now things are different: Jesus is giving to us all more than just emergency bread. He says himself,

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever;

and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

Jesus is the Bread, not contingency food given us almost on a dole-out basis, but rather our very living Bread, and he who continues to give meaning and direction to us every day of our lives. If we come to Jesus we will not die in the desert, we will live.

• Fr. Alan Meechan, SVD | Naujan Or. Mindoro

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD and Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
	Copyright © 2015 Society of the Divine Word

 

THE WORD

Ac 8, 1b-8 / Jn 6,35-40

Jesus said to the crowd, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. But I told you that although you have seen me, you do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes  in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.”

IN OTHER WORDS

It was in 2006-2007 when our batch (Yapak Class) had our Novitiate year. In one of our major

retreats, a classmate shared to us his beautiful reflection. As he was going down the stairs, he was disturbed by an old crucifix hanging on the wall. He stopped and spent some moments just staring at the crucifix. He noticed that some parts of Jesus’ body were destroyed such as his eyes, ears, mouth, hands and feet. He pitied Jesus hanging on the cross with incomplete body parts.

Jesus in the gospel presents himself as food and drink for eternal life. So that when we receive him in the Holy Communion, He becomes part of us and we become part of him. And so we become Jesus’ eyes and mouth. We need to open our eyes and mouth to proclaim the values of the Kingdom.  Through Holy Communion we become also Jesus’ ears, hands and feet. The message of Jesus we hear is not to be kept for ourselves but must be shared to others. As Jesus’ hands, we are expected to lend our hands to those in need of our help. Jesus did not just sit down but he moved/walked.

We are supposed to “walk the talk.” Whatever we “talk/preach/teach” must be concretized or seen through our actions. Let us always be conscious that Jesus is living in us and that we are living in Jesus. Whenever I receive Jesus in Holy Communion, I always utter this short prayer, “Lord, thank you for allowing me to receive you. Thank you for allowing yourself to be received by me.”

Going back to my classmate’s experience of the crucifix, Jesus’ parts of the body are literally gone because he has already given to us. It is us who will continue his mission by living as his mouth, eyes, ears, hands and feet for others.

• Fr. Reniel Lumiwan Nachimma, SVD | Missionary to Timor Leyte

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD and Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
	Copyright © 2015 Society of the Divine Word

 

THE WORD

Ac 7,51-8,1 / Jn 6,30-35

The crowd said to Jesus, “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.

IN OTHER WORDS

A very important element in economics is customer satisfaction. In the market, given the scarcity of resources and one’s limited capacity to pay, people opt for products that bring the most satisfactory results. As a consequence, a certain relationship is created between the manufacturer and the customer. Satisfied customers keep on looking for the same products or brand that they believe guarantee their satisfaction.

The Israelites keenly believed in Moses’ manna in the desert. They were mesmerized by it and they kept on looking for the bread from heaven even until the time of Jesus. They must have really been satisfied by the value that Moses’ product offered to them. They were so trusting in the bread that saved them in a time of dire need during a certain segment of their history.

In that historical event of crossing the desert, people would not have longed for anything else than food.  Indeed, this was a basic need given the scarcity of resources in the area. When Jesus offered them something that was greater than the manna in the desert, his listeners must have been challenged, if not scandalized.

Jesus was able to connect to the listener’s important historical event and drive home a point. For the Jews, manna meant physical salvation, a basic need. Jesus used this fact as correlation to another essential need, the “bread of life,” which He personified. Jesus does not warrant physical salvation alone, but also spiritual.

In our world today, millions of people are still suffering from hunger due to environmental degradation.  The desertification of land, for example, voids the soil of nutrients which means no crop production. And no agriculture means hunger and death. This worldwide phenomenon cannot be solved with multilateral agreements alone. This calls for a genuine concern and commitment to solve the issue. We pray that we do not trade off the values of God’s Kingdom in lieu of worldly manna.

• Fr. Lorz Estomo, SVD | SVD Verbum House of Studies, Los Baños, Laguna

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD and Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
	Copyright © 2015 Society of the Divine Word

 

THE WORD

Ac 6,8-15 / Jn 6,22-29

The crowd that remained across the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat, but only his disciples had left. Other boats came from Tiberias near the place where they had eaten the bread when the Lord gave thanks.  When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. And when they found him across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.” So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”

IN OTHER WORDS

Abraham Maslow, the Father of Humanistic Psychology, was the proponent of Hierarchy of Human Needs. He categorized them into five (5), namely: Physiological, Safety, Belonging, Esteem and Self-actualization.

Maslow realized too that fulfilling human needs is not enough because humans have insatiable needs! What is truly needed if one wants to grow? Self-transcendence! Constant fulfilling of one’s needs without making sacrifices could lead to selfishness.

These basic needs and self-transcendence correspond to the four (4) major aspects of human persons: 1. Physical (Physiological & Safety); 2. Emotional (Belonging); 3. Mental (Esteem &

Self-actualization); and 4. Spiritual (Self-transcendence).

The physical, the visible or seen aspect, comprises only one fourth, while, the invisible and the unseen aspects - emotional, mental and spiritual –comprise three fourths!

This shows that the majority of human aspects are not seen or we might call “spiritual”. The

Gospel for today should be understood from this perspective.

Jesus reminded the people: “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” Going beyond the material food, Jesus is offering spiritual food which could transport humans to eternal life.

Needless to say, material food perishes; only spiritual food lasts. Do we want to gain eternal life? Transcend! Go beyond material/physical needs!

Let the words of Jesus be our guide here on earth: “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.”

• Fr. Glenn Paul Gomez, SVD | DWC, San Jose, Occ. Mindoro

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD and Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
	Copyright © 2015 Society of the Divine Word