The Word Made Flesh Is the Bread of Life

Early in this near year of 2013, on this Wednesday, the 2^nd of January, we hear from the Gospel according to John:

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. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.  Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.’

Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ They were saying, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, “I have come down from heaven”?’ I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’ (Jn. 6:35-42,48-51).

This last Sunday we heard from the Gospel according to John how Jesus is the Word made flesh who makes his dwelling among us, and today we hear how Jesus is the bread of life.  The Word is flesh; the Word is food for us.  The 2 concepts are not incompatible; rather, they go together.  Jesus as the Word is the perfect expression of who God is.  Jesus shows us the very face of God.  Jesus is also food for our bodies and souls.  Jesus is the life of the world, and he feeds us in a number of ways.  First, through the Word of God as made known to us in the Scriptures, the Bible.  Jesus invites us to enter into his story, the story of salvation.  Jesus also invites us to partake of his very life in the bread come down from heaven, in the Eucharistic feast, where he is present, dwelling among us. 

At the start of this new year, look for Jesus present in Word and Sacrament.

Let us pray:  Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

Annual Parish Meeting: On Sunday , 6 January 2013 at 11:00 a.m. we will have our annual parish meeting where we will elect new members to the Bishop’s Committee, a delegate to the 164^th Diocesan Council, have various reports and plan for 2013.

Seaside Seniors: Thursday, 17 January 2013 in Sutton Hall.

Please remember everyone on our prayer list, especially, the family of Robert Hacker, the family of Larry Wagstaff, Lee Runion, Gladys, Pat, all of the newly ordained priests, and everyone who is alone at the start of the New Year.

Your servant in Christ,

The Rev. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550