Jesus says, “I am the Bread of Life.” “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” Jesus is nourishing people being starved, with food and with wisdom. He is…
People are searching for Jesus. When they find him, Jesus challenges them as to why, “You are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate loaves and were filled.” Jesus challenges them further, to follow his Way, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger.”…
Among those who harm Jesus are officials of the synagogue. One day, one of those officials, Jairus, “fell at Jesus’ feet and pleaded,” “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” Jesus went to Jairus’ home and “entered the room…
“Mary Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning… and saw the stone removed.” She ran “to the other disciples… and told them, ‘They have taken Jesus from the tomb, and we don’t know where he is.’” The priestly rulers who sought Jesus’ murder, the political rulers who ordered it, and the soldiers…
The Old Testament reading concerns the will of the priestly class to judge a man a sinner. He is a leper. The judgment dehumanizes the man. No longer is he a human being with a disease but instead, he is the disease. He is the sin; “the priest shall declare him unclean… (he) shall…
The Old Testament reading includes priests demanding material resources from the people’s labor, “burnt offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar.” Priests burned some of the people’s offerings but stored most for themselves, in the Temple. The Temple operated as an early bank for rulers to withdraw deposits from the people’s labor…
Late into the night disciples are in a boat “being tossed about by the waves.” They see Jesus coming “toward them walking on the sea.” “They were terrified” “and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, ‘Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.’” Peter alone asserts he is…
Jesus is encouraging disciples for persecution that awaits them. “Jesus said to the Twelve: ‘Fear no one.’” Who is it we typically fear? Likely people willing to cause us physical harm, for example, violent men. What is it we typically fear? Likely things able to cause us physical harm, for example, a violent disease…
Disciples believe they have seen Jesus and tell Thomas about it. Ordinarily, not a big deal. Except for the fact the disciples watched Jesus die just a few days earlier. How can they reconcile the two? How can people know facts and believe something else entirely? For example, how can millions of people know…