Meditation for Wednesday of the 3rd
Week of Easter
(Acts 8:1-8; Jn 6:35-40)
As we enter deeper in relationship
with God, we begin to notice the working together of our desires and needs, and
the free gift of God. While we seek answers for our needs, God gives us freely
from the abundance of His providence. We offer thanks and show appreciation
when we receive answers to our prayers but hardly recognize the free gifts God
bestows on us from His abundance. While the Jews were busy compelling Jesus for
bread, He, in turn, talks to them about God’s free gift, which is enduring and
abundantly available to them. He said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who
comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.”
Jesus explains that the Father is generous in giving; and has transferred His gifts to the Son. These divine gifts are available to all who believe in Jesus Christ. Thus, Jesus is given to the world as the Love-Gift from the Father (Jn 3:16). To receive Him as such, is to believe in Him; to believe in Him is to receive Him with love. In Jesus God has given us His very self, even answers to our prayers are already given in Christ Jesus. But it appears we prefer to follow the pathway of our needs than to open up ourselves to the free gift of God.
Think about Jesus as the Bread of life; the Living Bread that satisfies! What a great generosity that even before we realize our hunger, God has given us the satisfaction in Christ Jesus. He declares, “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up on the last day.” This mystery unfolded in the first reading, where the Church in Jerusalem was scattered following St Stephen’s martyrdom. It was a period of great lamentation for them. But at the end, what started with pain bore a joyful fruit as the influence of the preaching of Philip made great impact in Samaria. “For unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, crying with a loud voice; and many who were paralysed or lame were healed. So there was much joy in that city.”
This joy endures, and echoes to eternity in the hearts of who are ready to receive what God is offering; those who, from the abundance of their needs, surrender themselves to the supra-abundance of God’s gift in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic
Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Wednesday April 21st,
2021.
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com
