November 20, 2022
Gospel – 4/27/20 – John 6:22-29
After Jesus had fed the five thousand men, his disciples saw him walking on the sea. The next day, 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 my 10+ years at my former parish I presided at many funerals. One thing I would do was always ask the survivors to share stories and thoughts about their loved one.
As you can imagine, the things that touched them, that they remembered most, was about comfort the loved one brought them. How they listened when they poured out their broken heart. How they were held by the loved one as they cried their eyes out. But mainly, it was lessons and wisdom passed on to each person.
Sure, they remembered the holiday meals, Sunday gatherings over meals and special birthdays and such, but those paled in comparison to the wisdom shared.
Today, Jesus is telling the crowds they have followed him for the wrong reasons. They see him as the dog and pony show – the miracles he performs. He tells them it’s not the miracles they should be watching for but rather hear the message.
HE IS THE MESSAGE.
He is God’s Word.
At least that’s what I heard Him say…
What I Heard Him Say 