And put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth. – Ephesians 4:24

       I weighed my heaviest at 235 lbs. That’s why I decided to get back in shape. I exercised and ate healthy every day. After three months, I dropped to 195 lbs.

       I started buying medium-sized clothes since my old ones were too baggy already. But I didn’t let go of my extra-large clothes, just in case I would need them again. Guess what? After six months, I gained back all the weight I lost.

       Why did I revert to my old body? Because I always believed that I should be a “BIG” guy! I may have a new body, but I was stuck in my old thinking and old beliefs about myself.

       The same goes for every area of our lives. I know of many people who were renewed by God but slid back to their old sinful life. I know of people who started investing and saving, then went back to being in debt because of overspending.

       Do you want new things to come into your life? Do you want a new you?

       Stop looking at your old self. Look at the new you. Because that’s how God looks at you. Velden Lim (veldenlim@gmail.com)

Reflection: Change begins with the mind. Are there wrong beliefs that hinder great changes in your life?

Lord, teach me to believe in myself the way You believe in me. Let me see myself the way You see me.

St. Eusebius of Vercelli, bishop, pray for us.

God did not abandon His people, whom He had freed from Egypt, in the wasteland of the desert. He provided food for their journey. Today, God also walks with us every step of the way. There are times when we feel as though we have been abandoned, but it is never the case. God is true to His promises. If we feel that God is distant, it is because we have distanced ourselves from Him and not the other way around. We have shut Him out of our lives, but He is still with us. We just refuse to open our eyes to see Him.

Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15

2 The whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, “Would that we had died at the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread! But you had to lead us into this desert to make the whole community die of famine!” 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will now rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion; thus will I test them, to see whether they follow my instructions or not. 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them: In the evening twilight you shall eat flesh, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread, so that you may know that I, the Lord, am your God.” 13 In the evening quail came up and covered the camp. In the morning a dew lay all about the camp, 14 and when the dew evaporated, there on the surface of the desert were fine flakes like hoarfrost on the ground. 15 On seeing it, the Israelites asked one another, “What is this?” for they did not know what it was. But Moses told them, “This is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”

Psalm 78:3-4, 23-24, 25, 54

R: The Lord gave them bread from heaven.

3 What we have heard and know, and what our fathers have declared to us, 4 we will declare to the generation to come the glorious deeds of the Lord and his strength and the wonders that he wrought. (R) 23 He commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven; 24 he rained manna upon them for food and gave them heavenly bread. (R) 25 Man ate the bread of angels, food he sent them in abundance. 54 And he brought them to his holy land, to the mountains his right hand had won. (R)

We need a spiritual revolution in so that Christ will become and remain as our focus. The world will continue to hammer us with its lies and temptations, placing before us illusory goods in order to keep us from focusing the things that will fulfill us. Discipleship is learning how to distinguish between the true and illusory goods and to choose those that will endure.

Ephesians 4:17, 20-24

17 Brothers and sisters: I declare and testify in the Lord that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds; 20 that is not how you learned Christ, 21 assuming that you have heard of him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus, 22 that you should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.

Jesus speaks the truth — He is the bread of life. He is not simply sustenance for a meal; He is not even sustenance, which was a sign of God’s presence with us, as in the case of the Israelites coming out of slavery in Egypt and journeying through the desert. Jesus is the food for our journey — He provides for our every spiritual need in our journey toward salvation. If we eat this bread regularly, we will remain on the path to eternal life.

One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25 And when they found him across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.” 28 So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.” 30 So they said to him, “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? 31 Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” 32 So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 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.” think: If we feel God is distant, it is because we have distanced ourselves from Him and not the other way around.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 1 Maccabees 5-6

Things to be grateful for from the past week

Things to ask God for in the coming week

Most important word God told me this week

IS JESUS MY BREAD OF LIFE?

Whenever I visit my home country, Germany, I always look forward to eating the many kinds of bread we have there. White bread, grey bread, black bread, and many other kinds of bread are offered for breakfast, snacks, and often even for supper. What’s rice in the Philippines is bread in Western cultures. A day without bread is not perfect. Bread or rice — it’s something that nourishes us day after day without getting tired of.

       In the 12 verses of today’s Gospel, the word “bread” appears seven times. First, it refers to the bread Jesus had multiplied the previous day. Then the word refers to the manna, the bread that the Israelites ate during the years of their journey through the wilderness. The climax comes when Jesus proclaims that He is the “real bread from heaven” — the Bread that nourishes not the body but the soul, the Bread that gives eternal life.

       Eating is an integral part of life. We would die if we do not eat. But not all food is good. There is healthy and unhealthy food. Vegetables and fruits are healthy; junk food — tasty as it is — causes high cholesterol and even obesity.

       Jesus’ teaching about bread makes us reflect on what we crave for and what our daily spiritual nourishment is. Is it healthy or unhealthy? As much as we appreciate modern technology, too much time spent in front of the TV or surfing the Internet is not only physically harmful (for the eyes and for the lack of exercise because of sitting for too many hours), but it can also be unhealthy depending on the programs or websites one spends much time on.

       When Jesus speaks about Himself as Bread of life, of eternal life, we become aware of our need for this kind of nourishment. No TV program or website leads to eternal life — only Jesus does.

       Let us ask ourselves today: “Is Jesus my bread of life?” Do I crave for Him? Does He support my life as rice or bread does? Am I nourished daily by reading the Bible, by spending time with Him in prayer? Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

REFLECTION QUESTION: Is Christ as important to you as your daily food?

Lord, thank You for reminding me today how important You are for my spiritual life. Remind me again and again when I do not spend enough time with You. Do not allow me to miss the nourishment that will lead me to eternal life.