Fount of Blessings – John 6:24-35

A text – John 6:24-35

6:24 So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
6:25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”
6:26 Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.
6:27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.”
6:28 Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?”
6:29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
6:30 So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing?
6:31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'”
6:32 Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.
6:33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
6:34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

A reflection:

Jesus was clearly a sensation. His feeding of the 5000 was a life-changing miracle for those who participated. These were people from all walks of life who had sat with Jesus out in a deserted place for a day or two, and when they had grown hungry just listening to him, Jesus fed them. Of course they wanted more. But like any crowd that wants more, they are difficult to persuade to go home.

They looked for him the next day but couldn’t find him. They trouped to the other side of the sea and found him in Capernaum and asked for more. They asked him how to do the works of God. They asked him for further signs, so they could believe him (but they already believed in him enough to follow him from town to town). They were seeking someone who could be the fountain of every tangible blessing who would behave and do miracles on demand.

Sometimes when we pray, we behave in this way toward the Son of God. Here I am, Lord, we say, and then we lay all our needs and wants into that prayer and hope we will get what we wish for. But it is our relationship with Jesus and with God the Creator that grows and deepens over time (with the time we devote to that relationship) that is the fount of blessings those people were seeking. It was not even Jesus himself but Jesus and his relationship with God that produced the miracles. When Jesus prayed to bless the loaves and fishes, they became enough to feed the crowd.

Our love of God and our relationship with God produces all the gifts we need to serve the neighbor. Our relationship with God is blessed and overflows with fruit for those around us. If we set aside time to tend our relationship with God, we will find what we are seeking and enough for our needs.

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for giving us yourself in relationship so that we might be fed and feed others what they need. Help us to remember that you are the fount of all blessings. Amen.