“Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion; thus will I test them, to see whether they follow my instructions or not.” (Exodus 16:4)
Today’s first reading begins with the Israelites’ ingratitude. God had just used Moses and Aaron to lead them out of slavery in Egypt. Yet, all they could focus on was their current lack of food. But despite their poor attitudes and their utter ungratefulness, the Lord continued to work wonders for them. He continued to give of Himself out of love for them. However, God frowns upon it when we take or keep more than we need. When the Israelites gathered more than their daily portion of manna, that which they hoarded away became wormy and rotten. In the same way, God calls us today to be content with a fair portion and to be willing to share the rest.
“What must we do to perform the works of God?” the people ask in today’s Gospel. As Disciples of Christ we too desire to know what we must do to be good Catholic Christians. Saint Paul gives us a hint in the second reading today, “Clothe yourselves with the New Man”. Putting on the mind of Christ means loving as he loves, giving as he gives, and serving as he serves. This is good stewardship. What gives us the confidence and courage to follow Jesus’ example? The strength and nourishment we need is found in the bread of life.
In His Eucharistic gift, Christ gives us the bread of life — a bread not as man understands it, but a heavenly bread. It is so much more than bread that physically nourishes. In the Eucharist, Christ offers us Himself — Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity — so that we might have life in Him. The Eucharist IS Jesus Himself, and He invites us to partake of it, to take Him into our very bodies on a daily basis.
It is a Holy Exchange of Gifts. Christ gives himself to us in a spirit of love and generosity, and we give ourselves back to Christ out of the same spirit of love and generosity.
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