The Bread For Our Eternal Journey

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 5:23 pm Post subject: The Bread For Our Eternal Journey

The Bread For Our Eternal Journey

Scripture:

And he went forward, the journey of one day into the desert. And when he was there, and sat under a juniper tree, he requested for his soul that he might die, and said: It is enough for me, Lord, take away my soul: for I am no better than my fathers. And he cast himself down, and slept in the shadow of the juniper tree: and behold an angel of the Lord touched him, and said to him: Arise and eat.

He looked, and behold there was at his head a hearth cake, and a vessel of water: and he ate and drank, and he fell asleep again. And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said to him: Arise, eat: for you have yet a great way to go. And he arose, and ate, and drank, and walked in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights, unto the mount of God, Horeb. ( 1 Kings 19:4-8 )

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God: whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and anger, and indignation, and clamor, and blasphemy, be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind one to another; merciful, forgiving one another, even as God has forgiven you in Christ. Be therefore followers of God, as most dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, and has delivered himself for us, an oblation and a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweetness. (Ephesians 4:30 ? 5:2)

The Jews therefore murmured at him, because he had said: I am the living bread which came down from heaven. And they said: Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then does he say, I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered, and said to them: Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father, who has sent me, draw him; and I will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets: And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that has heard of the Father, and has learned, comes to me.

Not that any man has seen the Father; but he who is of God, he has seen the Father. Amen, amen I say unto you: He that believes in me, has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the desert, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven; that if any man eat of it, he may not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. (John 6:31-51)

Reflection:

As we hear the events of the day and of all the evil which swirls about us, we are tempted to wonder how we can ever witness any more? We hear of all the anger, incivility, corruption and hate of the day and perhaps wonder what can we possibly do to stop the evil which plagues us? We might try to insulate ourselves by turning off the news, but we cannot hide from everyone, we cannot turn everything off. Perhaps this was the feeling of Elijah when he asked the Lord to take the soul of the prophet. Elijah could bear no more to witness the sin of the world, the acts of the wicked, and the suffering of the faithful at the hands of evil.

We might be tempted to ask, for what reason did God create us if this is what we must witness? The answer is found within His Word. He created us so that the world need not remain as it is. He created us with the purpose of His love. He created us so that we might learn of His blessings and through our learning, share of His message. He created us so we might stand against evil. He created us so we might share the blessings of love. He created us so we might choose all which comes with His light. He created us so we may travel the journey of life where we may learn from Him and assist with His work. This was His call to the prophet. This is His call to us; and should we respond, He shall sustain us.

He calls us to set aside that which causes harm such that we can receive the blessings of sharing in love. He has a journey for us, but the path is ours to choose. If we hear Him, He has a mission for us, the mission of charity, compassion and love.

The bread the angel provided Elijah was given to sustain the prophet for the journey to which God called Him. That was a bread to sustain the body, but now God has sent a different bread to the children of His creation; the bread to sustain the soul for the eternity to come. Let us come and partake in the supper of the Lord.

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier