Jesus was a very loving man.
You see whenever he encountered the sick, the poor, the powerless, the outcast, the hungry He was filled with compassion.
His heart always called him to heal, feed, console or offer support.
However as we see in the Gospel today often when he did this people got confused.
Case in point last week In last weeks’ Gospel Jesus fed the 5000 men or 5000 families who had followed Him to a remote place.
He fed them with only two fish and five loaves of bread offered to him by a little boy.
The whole crowd ate their fill and knew that something powerful had happened.
When they saw the miracle they knew that he had the power to feed them for the rest of their lives.
Many probably thought If we make this guy King maybe we wouldn’t have to labor in the fields or fish through the night.
Some probably wondered, who knows what other powers he might possess?
If he can multiply bread and fish...maybe he could also vanquish the Romans and make Israel the most powerful nation on the face of the earth.
That’s why they wanted to make Him their king.
They wanted an easier more comfortable life and they thought Jesus could give them one.
Jesus understood all of this that’s why he fled into the desert
He did not come to put Pigly Wiggly, Win Dixie or Publix of business.
He did not come become the king of the earth
He came to save our souls
He came to pay our debt
He came to teach us how to love.
He came to show us the way to heaven.
The crowd had watched the disciples get into the boats
and leave but they did not see Jesus so they followed his disciples to Capernaum in the hope of finding Jesus again and seeing what else he could do for them.
When they found Him, he knew what they were thinking and he said
“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”
Those important words are meant not only for the crowd that day in Capernaum they are also meant for us.
They should cause us all to stop and ask ourselves if we are working for things that perish or things that last forever.
- There are some Christians who believe that if they follow Christ he will bless them with riches and well being. The television is filled with people who preach just that. If you give more more will be given to you. It’s called the gospel of prosperity and I can’t tell you what I really think about them because we are in Church.
- There are those who expect Jesus to solve every problem they encounter or challenge they face. For some of us even every prayer begins with, I need this or I really want that or If you give me this I’ll believe in you.
Many seem inclined to bargin with God in prayer.
- Some people even pray that God will punish those who hurt us and help us get even.
How often do our prayers simply offer God praise and thanks.
How often do we pray “ Lord I know you love me and I surrender my will to you”
Lord I trust that you will take care of me and those I love.
Today’s Gospel challenges us to ask ourselves.
Why do we follow Jesus Christ ?
Why do we come to Church?
Why do we pray and what we do we hope for when we pray?
Brothers and sisters it’s so easy to fall into the trap of the crowd in the Gospel
today.
It’s so easy to worry about and live for things that perish and that mean next to nothing.
Our heart, our goals, and our efforts should be focused on working for heaven and bringing as many people as we can home with us to God.
Let’s not fall into the error of the crowd who viewed Jesus like some kind of giant bread machine who would satisfy their every need and calm every worry.
May our prayer always be.
Lord help us understand what’s important in life.
Help us understand, desire, and work for things that last,
things that matter,
And help me teach my children to do the same
May we, live and work for things that do not fade away, fall apart, rust or satisfy us only for a moment.
Let’s work rather for things that make us holy and pleasing in God’s sight
Please Lord help us all know the difference.
Amen
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