Gospel Reflection – Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Jesus came down from heaven not to do His own will, but the will of the Father. And what is that will? It’s simple: the Father doesn’t want to lose even one of His children. He wants everyone to be saved, for all people to recognize that in Jesus they find life—Life with a capital L—true life, eternal life, life that lasts forever. And He wants them to live as people who believe in that kind of life.

Sometimes we meet people who talk about God’s will and how they sincerely want to follow it in their lives. And often, it feels like they think God has a very detailed plan for each person—down to the smallest detail. Not just a general vocation—like becoming a priest, a religious sister, a lay person, a bishop, a missionary, a parent, a doctor, or an engineer—but a plan that outlines what they should do every minute of every day. As if our job were only to figure out and follow that exact script. It’s all about constantly asking, “What does God want me to do right now?” And trying to get it right feels like a big challenge.

But it doesn’t really work that way. It can’t be that way. Because if it were, what would happen to our freedom? The truth is that God made us free—that’s one of the greatest gifts we’ve been given. We’re meant to make our own choices, and yes, even take the risk of making mistakes.

So then, what does it mean to do the will of God? It’s also simple: it means believing in His will to save us. Believing in His desire that we live as brothers and sisters in His Kingdom, as His beloved sons and daughters. Living that out in our daily lives and situations is our own responsibility. That’s our path to walk.

And on that path, walking with us, supporting us, is Jesus—the bread of life.