GOSPEL
After Jesus had fed the five thousand, his disciples saw him walking on the water. Next day, the crowd that had stayed on the other side saw that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but that the disciples had set off by themselves. Other boats, however, had put in from Tiberias, near the place where the bread had been eaten. When the people saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into those boats and crossed to Capernaum to look for Jesus. When they found him on the other side, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’
Jesus answered:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
you are not looking for me because you have seen the signs
but because you had all the bread you wanted to eat.
Do not work for food that cannot last,
but work for food that endures to eternal life,
the kind of food the Son of Man is offering you,
for on him the Father, God himself, has set his seal.’
Then they said to him, ‘What must we do if we are to do the works that God wants?’ Jesus gave them this answer, ‘This is working for God: you must believe in the one he has sent.’
The Gospel of the Lord
Sometimes we seek Jesus Jesus for the benefits He brings to us rather than for His own sake. What kind of genuine love can someone experience when they are only valued for their utility?
Let’s seek Christ for who He truly is; we are blessed enough to have the privilege of being in His presence. He has already bestowed upon us abundant blessings; there’s no need to incessantly ask for more.
Applied to Married Life:
Andrew: Martha, do you love me for myself or for what you receive from me?
Martha: Indeed, Andrew,I recognise the need to refine my affection because, in moments of lapse, I find myself focusing solely on what I receive from you to measure your love for me. I know it’s not about seeking my own interest but about surrendering to you like Christ.
Andrew: I feel the same way. But I see that when we decide to fully surrender, the Lord does great things in and through us.
Martha: The Lord is great.
Andrew: The Lord is everything.
Mother,