His Will, Our Daily Bread.
Be Mindful of God.
April 21, 2021
Eucharist: The Best Bread Ever.
April 21, 2021PITIK-BULAG: His Will, Our Daily Bread.
In our gospel today, the Jews were asking Jesus for signs in order to believe. It was mentioned twice in our reading, “WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR US THAT WE MAY BELIEVE IN YOU?” Somehow, Jesus was deeply disappointed with such a faithless attitude. Their selfish request revealed that their faith was based on WHAT GOD CAN DO and not on their INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD. Their demand for signs (convince us by doing something for us) exposed the shallowness of their faith. For them, their faith depended on what Jesus could do for them, and not on what they should do for God. They simply missed the point of what faith means.
Thus, Jesus gently corrected their understanding by inviting them to seek the GIVER OF THE BREAD, AND NOT THE BREAD ALONE. The Lord said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35).
Jesus gently corrected their misconception with regard to faith. Genuine faith should lead to serving God and others. For faith without action is dead (James 2:26). Genuine faith requires no evidence or signs to believe. For “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not being seen.” (Hebrew 11:1). And our solid intimate relationship with the Lord is enough to seek His will and set aside our own needs.
Pause for a while and reflect. Where do you anchor your faith in God? How deep is your faith? Do you demand signs before believing? What do you usually ask in prayer? Is God a mere provider of your daily needs? Do you ardently seek His will? When you attend Mass, are you longing for His presence or begging for something? In this pandemic, do you hear His call to do something for others?
Humbly bend your knees in prayer. Set aside your petitions and seek His will. God will surely grant your deepest desires. As we remember Jesus’ words, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33).
O dear Jesus, my Lord and my God,
You know what’s my deepest desire today.
I beg you to answer my prayers soon
and bring peace to my anxious heart.
Yet, if your answer will not come soon,
or your plan for me is totally different,
let me trust your mysterious ways.
Let me seek your holy will instead,
and be hungry for your presence.
Let me desire your plans instead,
and long for deeper understanding.
Let me seek your LOVE,
and not your provisions.
Let me seek your WILL,
and not my personal wish.
Let me seek your HEAVEN,
and not things that don’t last.
Let me seek you ALONE,
and raise my hands
in total trust and surrender.
Let me entrust my life in you,
for Your love alone will suffice.
Amen.
– Pitik-Bulag
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April 20, 2021 – Tuesday
Gospel Reading: John 6: 30-35
