So they said to Jesus,
“Sir, give us this bread always.”
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”
"It'll cost you!" Jesus might have replied to the citizens of Capernaum who had followed him into the desert, and then found him again in the city after his mysterious crossing of the stormy Sea of Galilee. They wanted "the bread of God which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world;" and Jesus was certainly willing to give it to them. But it would cost him much; and them as well.
Like the woman of the fourth chapter, they were eager to ask, but were they as willing as Stephen to follow the Lord into Paradise?
Catholics have long had an intense desire to receive the Blessed Sacrament and we eagerly invite everyone to join us. And there's no doubt we should be eager for this Bread of Angels, but to appreciate the Gift we should also cultivate a devout Fear of the Lord.
I like to explain the Fear of the Lord thus: A teenager might say, "I would never commit suicide. My dad would kill me if I did."
It's a witticism but we can imagine a kid saying that. Children should have a respectful fear of their parents' displeasure. They should know that sinful pleasures will cost them, and their parents will not hesitate to exact the cost.
The young adult might say, "I would never commit suicide. It would kill my father and mother if I did that." They've learned that their parents also have an emotional/spiritual life, and they've begun to appreciate how their behavior impacts others, especially those who love them.
Finally, an adult might say, "I would never commit suicide. It would kill my God if I did."
We're now deep into the Easter season, and daily reflecting on what the Lord has done for us, and how we should respond. We have celebrated the Victory of the Lord over sin and death. This is infinitely more satisfying than the home team winning the Superbowl or World Series. The Lord's victory means something; those other championships may mean something to athletes, their sponsors, and gamblers. But they are worth much even by this world's standards.
During Lent we followed the Lord to Jerusalem. We heard friends and enemies warn him not to go there; we were astonished when a prophetess poured myrrh over his feet and wiped them with her hair. We knew what it meant but did not believe it. We saw Him taking their warnings seriously and proceeding as if he had work to do and it must be done.
And we followed him. We believed in him despite the threats and warnings. We could not imagine the consequences but hoped they were not too severe.
Stephen, the Church's "proto-martyr" has led the way and shown us what following the Lord means. Jesus is not the only one who must carry the cross into darkness and disappointment, and risk despair at every step. Stephen has also shown us the intense joy of making that sacrifice. Rather than unnatural, his joy is supernatural; and perfectly natural for those reborn in the Spirit.
As Catholics who eat his flesh and drink his blood and do this in memory of Him. We think about these things, contemplate them, and pray that the Lord might find us worthy to join him as He goes to Jerusalem.
