Daily Gospel Reflection for April 15, 2024

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Today's Gospel: John 6:22-29

It was PTA Night at the school where I taught Language Arts. Everyone was worried about parent attendance, since it had been a significant issue in the past. Research had shown that involved parents meant intellectual gains for our students. There had been several intense meetings in the days leading up to our first parents’ night, as we brainstormed ways of drawing parents in.

It was a first-year teacher who suddenly latched onto the idea of feeding everyone. “Let’s have a spaghetti dinner!” she cried. “People always show up for free food!” I remember that we had resisted the idea at first, but the teacher’s enthusiasm, and the fact that spaghetti was fairly inexpensive, resulted in our first PTA Spaghetti Night.

It was a smashing success. Families poured into the auditorium for spaghetti and educational wisdom. The next day, I remember asking the teacher where she had come up with the idea of a spaghetti night. “It’s simple,” she said. “It’s right from the Gospel. Jesus knew that if you feed people, they will come.”

Why hadn’t I thought of that?

In today’s Gospel, Jesus addresses a crowd that has come seeking food. They had witnessed the miracle of fishes and loaves but failed to understand the significance of that miracle. Jesus uses this opportunity to urge them to, “[work] for food that endures for eternal life.” The crowd seems confused, but remains to hear what Jesus has to tell them. This is important. Jesus knew that the crowd--in their humanity--would come seeking to ease their hunger, but He also knew that it was that hunger that would allow Him a greater opportunity to offer them the Good News that He is the Bread of Salvation!

Okay! So, who else is in the mood for spaghetti?

Ponder:

What are some practical ways I can bring the Good News of Jesus to the people around me?

Pray:

Eternal Father, thank You for my humanity. For it is through this humanity that You allowed Your Son to offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice and the perfect food.