Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter
(Acts 8:1b-8; John 6:35-40)
The old man laughed to himself as he watched
television. He took delight in the
commercials offering luscious foods without mentioning any cost. “Give me some,” he said in broken English,
“I’ll take it.” Jesus similarly offers
desirable food in today’s gospel It is not for the stomach, however, but for
the soul.
Echoing a theme of Second Isaiah, Jesus describes himself as
the “bread of life” that has come down from heaven. He will nourish his followers with divine wisdom
that, when heeded, brings eternal life. Being
the Word of God that II Isaiah promised, Jesus will not lose any follower. Quite the contrary, he will save each one.
Does the wisdom Jesus offers come without cost? it is fair
to ask. We might say with the poet T.S.
Eliot that it costs “not less than everything.”
Like the pearl of great price in the gospel parable, divine wisdom is
worth all we can give. We should not
pass by Jesus’ offer.
