Reflection for April 16, Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter: John 6:30-35

Gospel: John 6:30-35

The crowd said to Jesus: “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written:

He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 

So they said to Jesus, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

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Reflection:

Would we be willing to give our very life for Jesus? 

In the first reading, Stephen was killed because of his unending profession of faith in Jesus. He could have saved his life if he had not proclaimed his love for Jesus, but he chose to boldly declare it. As a result, he was stoned to death. 

What a price to pay for professing his faith and love for the Lord. But this is the reality with our discipleship for Jesus. If we really are true and faithful followers we would not hesitate to give a certain part of our life or even our own life for our love for Jesus.  

Every now and then there would be instances wherein the steadfastness of our faith in Jesus would be tested. It may not cost our life anymore; perhaps the test of our commitment to Jesus may come through many forms of temptations and trials. For example, temptation such as temptation of the flesh and trial such as unexpected sickness. Would we still be faithful to Jesus amidst these temptations and trials?  

It’s really not easy to follow Jesus, some of us may have already given up on Jesus and we instead chose to follow the many temptations of this world.  

But if we would not follow Jesus and if we will not sacrifice a part of ourselves for the advancement of the kingdom of God. Who are we going to follow? We follow the devil and his master, the supreme manipulator and deceiver Satan? Those who chose to follow Satan lived miserably until the end of their lives.– Marino J. Dasmarinas