Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life

Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks -- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?" Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

- John 6:16-27

In yesterday's reading, we read of the feeding of five thousand people. Jesus had crossed the Sea of Galilee, and was up on the mountaintop, where the people had followed Him, because of all the miracles of healing that had taken place earlier in His ministry. There were only five barley loaves and two small fish as food to eat. In a clear preview of the Eucharist, Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down. The people wanted to make Him a king, but He refused, and departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going. Immediately after the feeding of the five thousand, we read of this episode of Jesus walking on the water. In other readings, the fear of the disciples is quite palpable here. My study bible notes that this is the fifth of the miracles or signs reported by John in his Gospel, and it is a re-enactment, or fulfillment of a type, of ancient Israel's passage through the Red Sea. Chapter 6, which we began yesterday, is a great passage on the fulfillment of Old Testament types - a great lesson on the nature of Christ and the identity of the person Jesus. While ancient Israel was led to liberty through faith, Jesus, as God of all, walks on the water to rescue His disciples and lead them to safety, out of their fear. In some sense, we must see His whole ministry as that of healing -- healing our fears and vulnerability in ways that only faith in a loving God can do. We must always remember this loving ministry as central to the reality of our faith: the Bread of Life comes to us incarnate, through all things for us, even unto death on the Cross.

On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone -- however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks -- when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. Clearly, the people seek Him out. They have witnessed miraculous healings and experienced for themselves the feeding on the mountaintop, a fulfillment or reenactment of the feeding of the ancient Israelites in the desert. But it is important to remember why we seek Him out. We know He is here for us in our distress, and to liberate us in the spiritual and other senses. But why do we seek Him? He has already refused them when they sought to take Him by force and make Him king.

And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?" Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." What does Jesus offer to us? What kind of people must we be to accept that offer, and to want what it is He offers to us. Here, He takes the people from one level to another: the bread with which they were fed is the obvious thing, but He wants something else. He desires in His followers that they want the true value He has to offer, and it is the Bread of Life - everlasting life - that He wishes for them to seek and value.

My study bible says, "He does not chide them for seeking and working, but for pursuing temporary satisfaction rather than eternal fulfillment." What is it to seek that which Christ truly has to offer, "the food which endures to everlasting life"? What does this mean for us? Christ offers us liberation in an extraordinary sense; that is, a liberation from sin. The food He seeks to give us feeds us on levels that explore our depths in every sense, and touch on every sense of life, even unto life everlasting. How many ways does this food nurture you, and feed you with life? It is inexhaustible, but it is something we need to desire with our hearts, and it comes from the depth of our relationship to Him. How have you been filled with this bread, and how have you come to know its nurturing in your life? When you fear, do you hear the words He said, too? "It is I; do not be afraid." Our Lord has manifest His life to us, in order to bring us His bread, His spiritual food. Let us understand all the ways in which we can be filled, and give thanks.