Finding Fulfilment Beyond the Physical: Lessons from Jesus

In this episode, Julie South delves into the teachings of Jesus from the Gospel of John, focusing on spiritual nourishment and eternal life. Jesus challenges the crowd to seek fulfilment beyond physical needs by believing in Him as the bread of life.

Julie explores the interactions between Jesus and the crowd in Capernaum, highlighting the importance of faith and understanding Jesus as the source of eternal satisfaction. 

Through practical insights and reflections, listeners are encouraged to deepen their connection with God and find spiritual contentment amidst worldly desires.

Join Julie in "Your Catholic Corner" as she uncovers the meaning behind the Sunday Bible readings, offering a space for listeners to engage with scripture and grow in their faith journey. 

Discover the significance of Jesus as the bread of life and the path to lasting peace and fulfilment.

Key Takeaways:

1. Seeking Spiritual Fulfilment: Jesus challenges us to look beyond material needs and find true satisfaction in Him as the bread of life. This episode encourages listeners to prioritise spiritual nourishment over worldly desires.
2. Importance of Faith: Through the interactions between Jesus and the crowd, we learn the significance of faith in believing in Jesus as the source of eternal life. Faith is highlighted as a key element in deepening our relationship with God.
3. Embracing the Bread of Life: Julie South guides listeners on a journey towards understanding Jesus as the bread of life that satisfies every hunger and thirst. By embracing this concept, we can find lasting peace and fulfilment in our lives.

18th Sunday Ordinary Time - Year B Catholic Bible Readings
Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15 
Ephesians 4:17, 20-24 
John 6:24-35.

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Transcript

Julie South [00:00:00]:
Peace be with you. I'm Julie. This Sunday we hear the second half of the bread of life discourse from John. Last week Jesus fed the 5000. This week we hear from Jesus about being fed spiritually so that we'll never go hungry again. In today's gospel, we learn the crowd has noticed the departure of Jesus and his disciples and they go to find them in Capernaum.

Julie South [00:00:36]:
But before that, a quick word about your catholic corner, just in case this is your first time here regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey, whether you've only just heard of that man called Jesus, you're new to Catholicism or you're a cradle catholic, my prayer is that your catholic corner will help bring God's word to life in your heart through insights, reflections and practical applications that help deepen your relationship with God. Every Thursday we'll start preparing for mass by uncovering the richness hidden in each Sunday's Bible readings from Old Testament prophecies to gospel parables. I invite you to join me and the parishioners of the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Hamilton, New Zealand, sponsors of your catholic corner so that together we can hear God's word and echo. Samuel, speak, Lord, your servant is listening.

Julie South [00:01:34]:
Now let's get back to today's show. In today's gospel, there are four exchanges between Jesus and the crowd. In the first. In the first exchange, the crowd, having followed Jesus to Capernaum, asks a very matter of fact question. Rabbi, when did you get here? Jesus replies, bye, naming their motivation in pursuing him because he knows everything they've been fed. Jesus, however, knows that they're more interested in being fed again, but only with food. They don't seem to have gotten the spiritual bread that Jesus is able to provide them with. Jesus wants them and of course by default, us to follow him because he's able to give us eternal life, not just one crumb at a time.

Julie South [00:02:48]:
As the second dialogue begins, it seems like they're on their way to accepting Jesus and his mission. They ask, what can we do to accomplish the works of God? Jesus replies that they must have faith in the one sent from God. So he kind of thinks that they're getting it. But in the third dialogue, it's obvious that they haven't really got what Jesus is is telling them. They're asking for a sign. Now, I'm not sure about you, but there are times when I ask for God for a sign as well. They ask Jesus for a sign so that they may know that Jesus is from God. I mean, you've got to wonder, haven't you that they've just witnessed how Jesus fed the 5000 by multiplying loaves and fishes.

Julie South [00:03:42]:
How else could he have done that if not through the father? Have they forgotten already? Perhaps. What more do they want of Jesus? It appears that they acknowledge what they saw but instead think it's a sign that came from Moses. In their description, they identify Jesus with Moses. And it's as if they're saying, because Moses gave the people manna in the desert. How about you give us a sign so that we know that you're from God? And yet they're looking to identify a prophet without realizing that God is actually standing in their midst. Imagine what that would have been like. Not so much the scepticism, because that's still around today but imagine what it would have been like face to face with Jesus in the flesh while you're alive. Jesus corrects their misinterpretation saying that the manna received by their ancestors also came from God.

Julie South [00:04:50]:
As God fulfilled their ancestors needs in the desert so God has provided them with. With food for eternal life. The conclusion of the dialogue reveals the crowd's blindness. They ask for what Jesus has told them they have found. Sir, give us this bread always. Jesus answers plainly that he himself is the bread of life that they seek. Jesus himself is a bread of life who will satisfy every hunger and thirst. And this is the first of several such statements that you can find in John's gospel.

Julie South [00:05:32]:
Now, what's your hunger? Are you looking perhaps for a change in circumstances? What can you do to replace the material hunger you feel with spiritual fulfilment? A few years back. Quite a few lengths back, actually. I remember going to confession during lent one year. I was a freshly minted Catholic who was still very new at the whole reconciliation confession thing. I shared my sin. I remember it clearly. We were. It was at the cathedral in Hamilton.

Julie South [00:06:05]:
And it was one of those, I think it's called a rite. The second rite, is it, or rite b where all the priests are taking sort of mass confessions at a time. I shared, like I said, I shared my sin with the priest who actually happened to be sitting on the sanctuary because that was the first one that was available when it was my turn to go up and not too far from him, obviously, was the altar. He asked me why I hadn't given up my sin to Jesus. Excuse me. I sort of thought, what does that mean? Well, since then, when I find myself struggling it's because I'm hungry, spiritually hungry. And it's time to give my hunger up to God and be fede by the bread of life. The first reading this Sunday, in the 18th week of ordinary time, is a reading from the Book of Exodus.

Julie South [00:07:12]:
The whole Congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, if only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots and ate our fill of bread. For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger. Then the Lord said to Moses, I am going to rain bread from heaven for you. And each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way, I will test them whether they will follow my instructions or not. I have heard the complaining of the Israelites. Say to them, at twilight, you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread.

Julie South [00:08:06]:
And then you shall know that I am the Lord your God. In the evening, quails came up and covered the camp. And in the morning, there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine, flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, what is it? For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, it is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. The house of Israel called it manna, the word of the Lord. Second reading is from the letter of Paul to the Ephesians.

Julie South [00:09:00]:
Now that I affirm and insist on in the Lord, you must no longer live as the gentiles live, in the futility of their minds. That is not the way you learned Christ. For surely you have heard about him and were taught in him as truth is in Jesus. You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. The word of the Lord. A reading from the holy gospel according to John. When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were at the place where Jesus had given the bread, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, rabbi, when did you get here? Jesus answered them, very truly.

Julie South [00:10:20]:
I tell you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 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. Then they said to Jesus, what must we do to perform the works of God? Jesus answered them, this is the work of God that you believe in him whom he has sent. 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? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness. As it is written, he gave them bread from heaven to eat. 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. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

Julie South [00:11:39]:
They said to him, sir, give us this bread always. 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. The gospel of the Lord. Thank you, wherever you are, for spending the last half an hour or so of your life with me and with God. With Jesus eating from the bread of life. Peace be with you as you go about your life going forward in the world. Give.

Julie South [00:12:41]:
Give that to God, to Jesus, to help you so that you can be fed with his life.