Reflection on the Word of God
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Exodus 16:2-15.  It was not long after the exodus had begun that the grumbling of the people against Yahweh began.  “In the land of Egypt we ate our fill of bread.  But you had to lead us into the desert to make the whole community die of famine.”  The enslavement in the foreign land seemed to be more tolerable than the harsh conditions of the desert – leading to the promised land of freedom.  At this point of the desert sojourn, Yahweh’s response is one of unquestioning acquiescence.  The Lord provides a “rainfall of bread” to sustain the Israelites on their journey.  The “manna” and small quail satisfy the hunger of God’s people.

Psalm 78:3-54.  Written to promote covenant fidelity, this didactic hymn recounts many of the events of Israel’s history.  It emphasizes the oral tradition by which sacred stories are passed on – a practice found in every society to preserve the identity and ethos of the people.  The psalmist describes the “glorious deeds of Yahweh” – deliverance from Egypt, the sojourn in the wilderness (where Yahweh “opened the doors of heaven and rained manna upon them for food”), and the entrance into the land of promise. 

Ephesians 4:17-24.  The passage declares that people’s former ways of “gentile idolatry” - before conversion to Christ, was a life of darkness, ignorance and sinfulness.  Our old self corrupted through deceitful desires must be put away.  Renewed by the redeeming grace of Jesus, we put on the new self of righteousness, holiness and truth.  The new life of the Christians demands a radical change and fundamental transformation – by immersing ourselves in the person and thinking of Jesus Christ.

John 6:24-35.  Jesus’ discourse on the “Bread of Life” follows a traditional rabbinic interpretation: a passage from the Scripture is quoted, and then an analysis is given.  The followers are those who had witnessed the miracle of the loaves.  Their questions enable Jesus to respond and teach on a deeper level of faith.  The Lord turns their desire for more “physical bread” into an opportunity to teach about the “Bread of Life” – a metaphor for divine law and spiritual truth.  While the whole chapter unveils the teaching about Jesus’ real presence in the Holy Eucharist, this section exhorts us to come to Jesus, believe in Him, and be fed by His divine Truth.  The Lord proclaims: “I am the Bread of Life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”