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“Rabbi, when did you get here?” 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. 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.” John 6:26–27
The crowd desired one thing, but Jesus desired another. This
reality is common to us all. Earlier in this chapter from John’s
Gospel, Jesus miraculously fed 5,000 men—not counting the women and
children—with five barley loaves and two fish.
The crowd was so ecstatic that they wanted to carry Jesus off and
crown Him king. Jesus, however, had no desire to be an earthly
king, so He withdrew to a mountain to be alone.
The next morning, when the crowd discovered Jesus had left, they
searched for Him and found Him in Capernaum with the Twelve. When
they found Him, they asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus’
response revealed their true motivation: “You are looking for me
not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were
filled.” In other words, they desired another meal. Their interest
in Jesus was superficial.
In John’s Gospel, Jesus’ miracles are referred to as “signs.” These
signs point to His divine Sonship and salvific mission, revealing
Him as the source of eternal life. Jesus recognized that the people
sought Him not because they sought spiritual understanding or
insight into His divine nature, but solely for material
satisfaction—another meal.
The crowd desired physical food, but Jesus desired to give them
spiritual nourishment to strengthen their faith so that they would
believe and receive the eternal and superabundant treasures He came
to bestow. Jesus then exhorted them to work for “food that endures
for eternal life.” That “food” is their belief in Him, whom the
Father sent to bring eternal life.
We often find ourselves desiring the passing things of this world
more than we desire God. It is natural, not sinful, to experience
physical hunger and desire food. But if such desires become the
driving force in our lives, then they become disordered.
In addition to natural desires, our spiritual desires can also
become misguided. For example, if we seek Jesus in prayer solely
because we have a favor to ask of Him, then we are acting much like
the crowd in today’s Gospel, and Jesus’ words to them would apply
to us: “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that
endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give
you.”
Our pursuit of Jesus must not be centered on our own ideas of what
is best for us. Only God knows what is best. We must understand
this and allow Him to redirect our desires to seek what is eternal.
We must not only seek but also desire God’s work in our lives. His
greatest work is that we “believe in the one he sent.” We must
desire faith in Jesus and His eternal plan, abandoning every
superficial or misguided pursuit.
Reflect today on what you desire most from your relationship with
our Lord. If your ambitions are earthly and fleeting, look higher.
Seek the eternal realities God wishes to bestow, and work to
realign your desires toward those alone. God is aware of our
natural needs and will provide for them according to His will when
we prioritize understanding Him, His divine Sonship, and His
mission. Learn from the crowd in today’s Gospel and heed Jesus’
gentle rebuke. Believe in the One the Father sent—Jesus, the Son of
God—and all good and eternal things will be lavished upon you
according to His will.
My heavenly King, You desire to be the King of my life,
directing my every action and controlling my every desire. I give
all control to You, dear Lord, and ask that you redirect my every
ambition and desire in accord with Your perfect will. Jesus, I
trust in You.
Image: The Sermon on the Mount. by Guillaume Fouace
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