In Sundays Gospel we heard the continuation of the bread of life discourse.

The
story arrived to its climax when Christ said that He is the living bread from heaven
and anyone who eats this bread will live forever. Let us focus our attention into
some points of the gospel.
First, the Gospel reminds us about the Eucharist, Jesus said in the account that the
ancestors of the Jews ate the manna from heaven but they die. Remembering the
Exodus story when the Israelites wandered in the desert traveling to the Promised
Land. They ate the manna and it really came from God. And now, our Lord insisted
that His flesh will be given for the life of the world. In our Catholic belief, a dying
person may receive the Eucharist for the last time as the Holy Viaticum. In Latin the
word VIATICUM means WITH-YOU-ON-THE-WAY. This word signifies that a dying
person will be accompanied by Christ into the Promised Land, the HEAVEN. If the
Israelites were sustained by the manna from heaven and the dying will be
accompanied by Jesus himself, we too need this VIATICUM, this MANNA, which is
JESUS. We are also travelers to the Promised Land. We need Jesus as our food and
companion in this earthly pilgrimage. The Holy Viaticum, therefore is not only for
the dying but also for us, the pilgrim Christians.
Secondly, they said that the manufacturer or the brand really affects the food. Even
the place or the exporter matters. If we buy coffee, we want it that it must came
from Coffee Acad, or Gloria Jeans or Starbucks. If we want cake, we want it to be
made from Goldilocks, Red Ribbon or a La Crme. The place where it belongs really
matter. And now in the Gospel, we heard bread, not just a simple bread from Pan de
Manila or in a simple bakery but a bread from heaven. If we really want a good food,
let us try the offer of Christ. Dont ever try junk foods because they are not good.
This term came from two contradicting words, the word JUNK means no good,
nothing, and waste and the word food signifies goodness, something which is good
for the body and for the person. Never try the junk foods offer by the material world
instead long for the food came down from heaven.
Last week was a very tragic week for all of us, especially for the victims of the
recent calamity that devastated our land. There were many casualties and many
people lost their properties and love ones. But life must go on. If you will ask the
victims in the evacuation centers and in the flooded areas, they always ask for food.
They long for something to eat. We too longs for something to eat at many times.
Simple bread may satisfy our hungry stomach but only Christ can satisfy our craving
soul. Let us long for Jesus, only Jesus, nothing but Jesus. Only Christ can satisfy our
deepest longing. As St. Agustine said, our hearts are restless oh Lord . When we
feel hungry, when we fell unsatisfied, when we feel craving for something, we need
to seek Christ first, the bread of life came down from heaven. Like Elijah in the first
reading, the prophet was lost his appetite to live but God, Himself restored his
strength and gave him the food that will sustain his life. In the second reading we
heard Paul saying that Christ became the real bread, by offering Himself to the

Father as a sweet-smelled sacrifice. Same true with our lives, when we feel hopeless
like Elijah let us always call to mind the words of Paul that we have Jesus, our bread.
Let this be our prayer, that Jesus the living bread may accompany us in our journey
and struggles inspite of the difficulties in life until we come to our heavenly home.
May we always long for Jesus, the Heaven-made bread not for the junk foods of this
material world and find Christ even in the most difficult and heart breaking scenario
of our pilgrimage . And may we always be strengthen by the Word and Eucharist as
the canter and summit of our Christian life. Remember that Jesus is the cause of our
being and the source of our living. Amen.