This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent

"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." Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always."

And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

- John 6:27-40

Yesterday, we read of Jesus walking toward His disciples across the water. He had gone up alone to the mountaintop, while they went across the Sea of Galilee in a boat. In the early hours of the morning, a storm came up -- as Jesus approached, He said, "It is I; do not be afraid." In the meantime, the people who had been fed on the mountain followed His disciples, and when they found Jesus there, too, they asked Him, "How did you get here?" Jesus said that they sought Him for the food He'd fed them on the mountain. He said, "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."

"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." So important is this statement, that we are given it twice: at the end of yesterday's reading, and the beginning of today's.

Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." An extraordinary simple but immensely powerful statement, indeed! What is it to have this faith, to believe, to trust? My study bible notes, "The most fundamental work of God is true faith in Christ!"

Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always." There is a powerful persuasion at work here. Their focus is on the bread with which they were fed, and some sign or work Jesus must now perform so that they believe. The focus is on the material, on things designed to convince one way or the other. But Jesus shifts them to the spiritual perspective: Who provided the manna in the desert? He goes to the Source of all. And Jesus finally points to Himself as the Bread which has come from heaven, and is given by God the Father, "and gives life to the world."

And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe." I All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. "I am the bread of life" is the most simple yet explicit statement He can make. He is the source of spiritual nurturing and nourishment. But they do not believe: Jesus makes a clear distinction here about faith. He wants those who believe from their hearts, who make a connection with Him -- and not those who come for the "things" and who need convincing also by "things." Again, as with Peter's confession of faith, Jesus alludes here to the Father at work in us. Faith comes from a depth of connection to the Father, and the revelation possible through this depth in us. Those whom the Father brings to Christ, Christ will keep with Him always.

For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day." To me the picture given here is one of true family: Christ will keep us with Him, always. We are children of the Father, we belong to the Son, and their joint will is that they should lose nothing of us, and with Them, we also will lose nothing but gain abundant life. To lose nothing is a mirror of the Eucharist -- the bread on the mountaintop having been gathered up to twelve baskets full, one for each apostle. So precious is it that none should be lost. And of all that the Father has given to Christ, none should be lost. He is here for each of us, for every lost sheep, so that nothing should be lost.

We know the depths and heights to which our Savior will go for us -- even to His death on a Cross. All to save, to keep us with Him forever, so that nothing should be lost that the Father gives Him. I cannot help but ponder such a great love for each of us. My study bible points out that Father and Son are united in essence and will. But the human Jesus also has a human nature and human will -- and this is our great gift, what He has come into the world incarnate and brought to us. The great love that brings Him to us incarnate will also manifest in the very human Jesus as our Gift. What love can we learn from Him? How deeply does He require that none be lost? He will go through all for us. He is the love that manifests for us from heaven.