Father Alo writes ...

Bread of Life John 6:44-51

When Jesus said that he is the “bread of life”, some of his hearers were confused. Even some thought that he was dreaming or possessed by the evil spirit. We are now having better understanding of this phrase “bread of life” which is Jesus’ own life, the totality of his being given to the world and symbolized in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. So, it is good news for us because he is a special gift from God for us, but at the same time he is asking us to be the ‘bread of life’ for others. He said: “As the Father sent me, now I am sending you” (John 20:21); or at the last supper he said: “Do this in memory of me” (Luke 22:19).

When I was in Fiji, I used to walk to the nearby villages and chatted with the people who cultivated the land to plant cassava, taro and some other crops. There was a man in his fifties who kept singing while clearing his cassava plantation. I would know which part of plantation he was in because of his habit of singing while working. The words I recalled were: “dou cakava oqo mo dou vakananumi Au kina”. When I asked the meaning of that words, he said: “Do this as a remembrance of me”. I was laughing and saying: “This is not mass”. He said: “I keep saying this for years while I am working, not for remembrance of God, but for remembrance of my family and my dream”. I was speechless. Every single drop of his sweat is reminding him of his family at home and his dream.

You have family, passion and dreams. You have probably been working hard for your family, passion and dreams. Every single energy, time, effort, sweat and even tears, that you put in your work is a remembrance of your family, passion and dream (and hopefully God). Keep saying it in your heart while you do your work and it will energise, brighten, illuminate and motivate you. In this way you have taken part of Jesus’ mission to be a “little bread of life”.

Have a blessed day. Alo Lamere MSC