Daily Gospel Reflection for May 6, 2025

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

Reflection by Colleen O'Dowd

Today's Gospel: John 6:30-35

So this is among the first of Jesus’ proverbial mic drops about Himself and the Eucharist.

No practicing Jew would have missed Jesus’ connection to the multiple times God had provided sustenance, sacrifice, and salvation for His people – even at their most oppressed, most enslaved, and most unfaithful. 

There was manna and quail.
Water and cakes. 
Flour and oil. 
Naps and snacks.

God shows His love for me through mercy: food, drink, shelter, clothing, presence, intimacy, healing, reconciliation.

And all of that He sacrifices – in the very person of Jesus.
And He does that for me alone. 
And for you alone. 
And for that person who is a real pain in my behindular parts alone.

In this, a year when we are challenged to consider becoming Eucharistic missionaries, we are first invited to let Jesus draw nearer to us so that we might draw nearer to others in His name.

No matter how unfaithful I am. Or how many times I fall or fail.
God doesn’t need me. He desires me.
He desires that I might participate in His work.
He has gifted me for the world, and He will be with me as I do this work in loving obedience to Him.

Ponder:

What is one thing I can do today to draw nearer to Jesus in the Eucharist? Confession? Mass? A holy ten minutes inside or outside church on my way to work/home/errands/carpool? Some other simple but creative way?

Pray:

Lord Jesus, I know You want me and my family and friends to be healthy and strong. Help me to model being radically open to You nourishing me by drawing ever nearer to me, especially in the Eucharist.

Copyright 2025 Colleen O'Dowd

Colleen O’Dowd is a parish missionary at Our Lady of Ransom in Niles, IL. She loves being Catholic; her Converse All Stars, Crocs, socks, toenails (and sometimes even her hair!), are always liturgically correct; and she is a super saint-geek! She blogs ultra-occasionally at www.ourheartswereburningwithin.wordpress.com and can also be found as @catholiccolleen on Twitter and Instagram.