The Bread of Life - Part 2
May 7, 2025 - Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter
John 6:35-40
Today’s Gospel begins with the phrase that concluded yesterday’s reading: “I am the Bread of Life.” This is the first of seven powerful "I am" statements in the Gospel of John, each revealing a different aspect of Jesus’ divine identity and mission:
"I am the light of the world" (8:12)
"I am the gate" (10:7,9)
"I am the good shepherd" (10:11, 14)
"I am the resurrection and the life" (11:25)
"I am the way, the truth, and the life" (14:6)
"I am the true vine" (15:1,6).
These statements echo God’s self-revelation to Moses in the burning bush: “I AM WHO I AM” (Ex 3:14). Each time Jesus says “I am,” He is not only making a claim about Himself but also revealing His unity with God, the source of all life and salvation.
"I am the bread of life". Bread, in biblical times as now, was the fundamental food of daily life. Without it, people would starve. Yet even after eating, hunger returns. Jesus, however, speaks of a deeper hunger—an existential hunger for meaning, for love, for God. He tells us that whoever comes to Him will never hunger again because He alone can satisfy the deepest longings of the human heart.
Jesus also draws upon the exodus tradition, where God provided manna in the wilderness to sustain His people. Yet that manna was only a temporary provision; Jesus, in contrast, is the true and everlasting Bread from Heaven, given by the Father not just to sustain life, but to grant eternal life.
I have already mentioned yesterday that Jesus’ words - "I am the Bread of Life" - immediately call to mind the Eucharist. The simple elements of bread and wine become something extraordinary: the very Body and Blood of Christ.
While preparing the bread for the act of consecration, the priest prays an ancient blessing:
“Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have this bread to offer, fruit of the earth and work of human hands. It will become for us the bread of life.”
This prayer reflects the earliest Christian gratitude for the Eucharist, beautifully preserved in the Didache, a first-century Christian text:
“We thank you, our Father, for the life and knowledge which you made known to us through Jesus your servant. To you be the glory forever. Even as this broken bread was scattered over the hills and was gathered together and became one, so let Your Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into Your kingdom” (Didache 9:3).
Jesus promises, “Whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” The world offers many things that leave us empty, but only Jesus can truly satisfy our deepest longings. He alone is the Bread that gives life. So let us come to the Eucharist with open hearts, receive His love, and be nourished by His presence—so that, filled with Him, we may bring His love to the world.