Fr James McTavish FMVD ‘Bread from heaven feed me ‘til I want no more’
At games of international rugby, the Welsh fans often sing a rousing version of ‘Bread from heaven’. One line goes ‘Bread from heaven, feed me ‘til I want no more’. Nutritionists today often encourage us to eat bread as it is full of energy. They also tell us to take care what we eat as ‘you are what you eat’. Sometimes our eating habits need a change, a revolution! As do the drinking habits of many. (NB To get drunk is wrong. Why? It is very obvious! Drunkenness often means the person loses control and ends up doing things they regret leading to infidelity, gluttony and all manner of vices. Not to mention the money that is spent. Awful especially when so many are poor.)
St Paul calls for a revolution. “Your mind must be renewed by a spiritual revolution so that you can put on the new self that has been created in God’s way” (Ephesians 4, 17.20-24). What is a spiritual revolution? There have been many revolutions – the French and the Bolshevik to name but a few, but St Paul calls for real change, for a spiritual revolution. For many centuries the big question was does the sun revolve around the earth or the earth around the sun? For us Christians today we can ask does the world revolve around me, or is the SON at the centre of my decisions and plans? It is a call to follow the will of God and not our own whims! A change of diet! To pass from food that perishes to food that endures for eternity.
Jesus said “Do not work for food that cannot last, but work for food that endures to eternal life” (See John 6, 24-35).What is food that perishes and what is the food that lasts forever? Looking at our lives, with the illumination of the Spirit, one can discover some attitudes, values or behaviours that are not life giving as they are not inspired by true love but more of self love. Sometimes the change that is needed does not appear immediately attractive or appetizing. Often to do the will of God is an acquired taste.
Many times the growth in the spiritual life is through familiarizing ourselves with God’s ways. It is an acquired taste too. Like some food here in the Philippines. I love the food here but when I first came it was not immediately that I took to eating rice with nearly every meal. Now I love rice and miss it if it is not on the table! Perhaps the secret in discovering the true nourishment for our spiritual lives is not so much to search for food that appears appetizing but to really search for the will of God. This is the true nourishment and the bread from heaven. Jesus offers us this true food- to seek to do the will of God in all situations. St Alphonsus Ligouri reminds us “The search for the will of God is already the will of God”. To seek and do the will of God is our true nourishment. Of course this requires faith as at times to do the will of God means that Jesus will ask us to share his bitter cup of suffering. Only love for him can move us beyond our human limits and comfort zones. The people asked ‘So what must we do?’ Jesus tells them ‘What you must do is believe in the one who God sent’.
The Israelites in the desert cried out for bread. When it arrived they did not recognize it! When they saw it they said to one another ‘What is that?’ not knowing what it was. ‘That’ said Moses to them, ‘is the bread the Lord gives you to eat’. The bread was right in front of them. As the psalmist says ‘The Lord gave them bread from heaven’. Imagine if the answer to your prayers, to the deepest longing of your heart had already been given to you by God and was right in front of your eyes but you just don’t recognize it! That is why many ask the Lord not for a new world but for new eyes.
Jesus may we find in you the bread that sustains and nourishes. You are the bread of life, the true bread that comes down from heaven. Help us change our diet, from following our own whims and desires to a ‘determined determination’ (St Theresa of Avila) in seeking your will. This is an acquired taste. Often we are fooled by appearances. All that glitters is not gold. Give us eyes to see your hand, to see what you want. Start in us this revolution. Feed us with your love that is eternal. Your love is the bread from heaven and gives us strength to do the will of the Father. ‘Bread of heaven, bread of heaven, feed us ‘til we want no more’. In my life do I seek the bread from heaven? And they said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.’
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