Daily Reflection for Monday, April 19, 2021
Peace and Blessings, Friends and Parishioners,
We encourage you to reflect on Monday’s readings at this link:
www.bible.usccb.org/readings/041921.cfm
If you prefer to use your own Bible, the readings are:
First Reading: Acts 6:8-15
Responsorial: Psalm 119: 23-24, 26-27, 29-30
Gospel: John 6:22-29
Our reflection on Monday’s readings:
“This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.” John 6:29
Lieutenant Dan: Have you found Jesus yet, Gump?
Forrest Gump: I didn’t know I was s’posed to be lookin’ for him, sir!
After witnessing Jesus feeding the 5,000, a crowd of people got into their boats and went looking for him. When they found him, he reprimanded them. They were searching for the guy who fed their bellies, but they missed the point. He blessed them with “food that endures for eternal life” John 6:27. They nibbled away at empty carbs.
Corny though it may be, Forrest Gump makes an excellent point. Too often, I set out looking for that “full” feeling I get from Christ. I seek the rush of a retreat, the satisfaction of organizing a service project or children’s activity, or the cozy camaraderie of seeing friends at Mass. I forget that my work is to believe.
As our year of quiet confinement slowly lifts, I feel a sense of sadness about returning to “normal,” whatever that means. Collectively and individually, we lost so much during the pandemic. But the simplicity and lowered expectations were a balm to my weary soul.
God didn’t call me to live in solitude, so I will return to retreats and projects and wowing children with my holy chaos. There is nothing wrong (and many things right and necessary) about encountering Christ in community. But as I head back to the hustle and bustle of vaccinated life, I will take time to consider: What will perish and what will endure? What brings me the fullness of Christ, and what is a convenient distraction?
What does it mean for you to believe in the one He sent? Consider the crowd who went looking for Jesus and their motivation for seeking him. What is it that you seek from Jesus? What gifts will perish and what will endure?
May God’s Peace Be with You,
Trina Wurst