Commentary on the Gospel of

Fr. Roland Chidi, cmf

John 6:22-29 Staking one’s life for eternal life
        Rabbi, when did you come here? 
        Labour for the food which endures for eternal life
        Believe in him whom God has sent

People seek our Lord! They troop around him asking ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus is the Saviour, the Son of God, He is God. In the preceding passage, He fed them with bread and everyone was satisfied! Apparently, like the famous Oliver Twist, they want some more! More of what? They want more perishable bread! This their hunger for more perishable bread is highly deceptive. It is like the current surge, the rush for miracles which is promoting proliferation and multiplication of Christian denominations, especially in the developing countries. Regarding this quest for temporal satisfaction, it is good to keep in mind what St. Paul refers to as elemental spirits and different forms of manipulating natural elements – these, many a time, result to unusual occurrences resembling miracles!  

This trend of events calls for caution on the part of Christians who crave for signs and wonders! In today’s Gospel passage our Lord notices that, and points it out saying, ‘labour for the food which endures for eternal life.’ This statement focuses us on what really matters, the essence of our Christian calling. Focusing helps one to be conscious of the all-important goal. Knowing where one is going and allowing oneself to be guided by the ultimate goal, namely, union with God, keeps one on the right path of the spiritual journey. 

There is no better person to help one remain on the right track of this spiritual journey than Jesus Christ himself, who is the Way itself! And he says that the process leading to this ultimate goal begins with ‘believing in him whom God has sent.’ Believing in him entails listening to his voice, obeying him and remaining united with him. Eastertide invites us to ever stay with the risen Lord for he generates renewal in each one of us.  

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