Must We Have Faith in God?

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Today’s Gospel reading (John 6:30-35) is a continuation of yesterday’s reading. Yesterday, the disciples are told that they are seeking Christ because they have eaten their fill from the “Bread of Life.” They had there spiritual fill and they felt the wonder and awe of Jesus Christ. They asked, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” and Jesus replied, “This is the work of God: have faith in the One whom he sent.”

In today’s Gospel, again the disciples hunger for the Bread of Life. They want a sign from above so that they can have Faith in Jesus. They said to Jesus, “What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" Can you not just hear Jesus sighing at this point and saying to his disciples, oh yea of little Faith, was not the sign I just provided enough. He tells them it was not Moses who gave their ancestors the bread from heaven but God who gives you the “true bread from heaven.”

Is it enough to believe in God? Or must we have Faith in God? Do you need to see a miracle to have Faith? You can believe in God without having Faith in God. Faith in God is an unwavering loyalty and devotion to God. Faith is the commitment to share the Holy Spirit with those that we meet. Jesus came so that we could be united with the true Bread of Life. While the Bread of Life is provided to us at Mass, it is our obligation to share this Gift with others through our actions and our words. The miracle of the Eucharist which we receive on Sunday is the sign that Jesus provides. Having faith in the nourishment of the Eucharist is our salvation for Jesus told his disciples, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.”

Do you hunger for God and for the food which produces everlasting life? Do you feed others the Bread of Life?

A Simple Prayer

Most Heavenly Bread of Life, give me nourishment today

so that I may spread your good news.

You satisfy my every need and fill my every desire.

May this nourishment strengthen my Faith in you.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon