Reflection for April 15, Monday of the Third Week of Easter: John 6:22-29

Gospel: 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.”

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Reflection:

Why do we go to church for Mass or why do we pray? Is it for our love of Jesus or for our need of Jesus? Some of us go to church for Holy Mass because of our need for Jesus, some of us pray for the same reason as well.  

 After our need for Jesus has been addressed already many of us would  slacken and go back to our old ways. Until such time that we again encounter humps and bumps in our lives then we again will need Jesus and we naturally attend Holy Mass again.  

The people who were following Jesus were looking for Him because they saw how He feed them in the miracle of the loaves and fish. It was not for the love of Jesus that they were looking for Him neither for their desire to join Jesus disciples in their mission of evangelization.  

If we look for Jesus let us not look for Him because of our need for Him alone. We look for Him because we love Him and we want to share in His mission of evangelization. It’s always better to look for Jesus rooted in our love for Him.  Since this love that we have for Him is always rewarded by Jesus in many ways: such as good health, peace of mind, peace in the family. feeling of contentment and the like. 

Why do you look for the Lord? – Marino J. Dasmarinas