EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

READINGS AT MASS

Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15

Psalm 78

Eph. 4:17, 20-24

Jn. 6:24-35

Theme: THE FLESHPOTS OF EGYPT

Dear friends in Christ, N'wokafu YESU KRISTO... 

Israel's desire for the things and pleasures of the past (the _fleshpots of Egypt_) turned them into a nagging nation and prevented them from looking ahead to the promise of a better land of freedom. They are quick to complain at the sight of a minor challenge forgetting all the wonders that God had performed for their sake. Indeed, focusing on the past and inferior pleasures of life makes us ungrateful and short-sighted.

Jesus Christ, in today's Gospel, perceived a false motive in the crowd's search for Him (...because you ate the loaves and had your fill). They searched not for the spiritual gift of salvation but for bread to eat and satisfy their physical hunger. Like the _fleshpots of Egypt_, bread that did not satisfy was what they desired and preferred. In His effort to give them a new orientation, Jesus asked them to seek after the right and permanent things in life. Do not work for food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, He said. (Jn 6:27). 

Beloved in Christ, the _fleshpots of Egypt_, delicious though they may be, cannot satisfy us. The good food and pleasures of our past sinful lives and the physical slices of bread of this world cannot satisfy our hunger. The more we focus and reminisce about them, the more they prevent us from seeing the great things that God is doing for us and the wonderful place that He is leading us.

In the Second Reading, St. Paul cautions the Ephesians not to fill their minds with pointless things. He calls on them to renew their minds and their whole personalities in Christ. For St. Paul, the old personality without Jesus Christ has been corrupted through deceitful desires. 

Unfortunately, most of us, like the Israelites and the crowd in the gospel, are running after the wrong things in life. We spend so much time brooding over the past and the worldly pleasures that we have left behind. These desires cannot give us the required satisfaction in the Lord. They blind us to the goodness of God and prevent us from becoming new in Jesus Christ. 

Sadly, even those of us who appear to be running after Jesus Christ (the present-day Christian), often do so for the wrong reasons. And when we find Him across the sea and say to Him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" Jesus will certainly answer us, "...you are looking for me not because you saw the signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill". A Christian, dear friend, must focus on and desire the right and important things of life; the things that lead to eternal life.

We must leave our past and its worldly pleasures behind and focus on a better future with Christ. 

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ, the seeming goodness of my past life continues to entice and prevent me from committing myself totally to you. Grant me your grace to be able to break away and seek the satisfaction that lies in you. Amen.

May God bless you.

-Rev. Fr. Kenneth Debre

Sunday, August 4, 2024.

Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.