Embracing Spiritual Nourishment: The Bread of Life
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, everyone. My name is Father Sean Grismer, and I am thrilled to be here at St. Peter's in Geneva, working alongside Father Browning. Today, I want to share a personal story that ties into our spiritual journey. Growing up, I was a picky eater, subsisting mainly on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and macaroni and cheese. My father would often tell me, "You don't know what you're missing," encouraging me to try new foods. It wasn't until college that I began to explore different cuisines and realized my taste buds were made for more than just PB&J.
This experience parallels our spiritual lives. In John 6, Jesus tells us that He is the bread of life, offering us spiritual nourishment far beyond what we can imagine. Just as my taste buds were made for more than simple foods, our spirits are made for more than earthly sustenance. We are not just physical beings; we are spiritual beings who hunger for spiritual food. Jesus offers Himself as this spiritual nourishment, saying, "I am the bread of life."
The Israelites, like many of us, were initially skeptical. They remembered the manna from heaven provided by Moses and couldn't grasp the significance of Jesus' offer. But Jesus emphasizes that He is the true bread from heaven, meant to satisfy our deepest spiritual hunger. Just as our bodies need physical food to survive, our spirits need spiritual food to thrive. Without it, we face eternal death, which is far worse than physical death.
Jesus invites us to believe in Him fully, not just intellectually but with our whole hearts. Even the demons believe in His existence, but true belief means trusting in His words and promises. This belief is not something we can will into existence; we must ask Jesus for the grace to believe. Without this belief, everything we do as Christians is pointless. But with it, receiving the Eucharist becomes the most significant act of our lives.
Let's pray together, asking Jesus to remove any disbelief and fill us with the grace to fully believe in His presence in the Eucharist. This belief will transform our lives, allowing us to experience the fullness of God's love and never have to wonder what we're missing.
### Key Takeaways
1. Spiritual Hunger and Nourishment: Just as our bodies need physical food, our spirits hunger for spiritual nourishment. Jesus, the bread of life, offers Himself to satisfy this deep spiritual hunger, emphasizing that earthly sustenance will never fully satisfy us. [23:51]
2. Belief Beyond Intellect: True belief in Jesus goes beyond intellectual acknowledgment. Even demons believe in His existence. Genuine belief involves trusting in His words and promises, which requires grace that we must ask Jesus to provide. [25:35]
3. The Significance of the Eucharist: Receiving the Eucharist is not just a ritual but a profound act of receiving God into our bodies. Without belief in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, our Christian practices become meaningless. [28:11]
4. The Necessity of Spiritual Food: Just as physical food sustains our bodies, spiritual food sustains our souls. Without it, we face eternal death, which is far worse than physical death. Jesus offers Himself as this essential spiritual nourishment. [26:27]
5. Prayer for Deeper Belief: We cannot force ourselves to believe more deeply; we must ask Jesus for the grace to believe. By praying for this grace, we open ourselves to a fuller understanding and experience of His presence in the Eucharist. [27:53]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[19:42] - Introduction and Background
[20:30] - Personal Story: Picky Eater
[21:21] - Discovering New Foods
[22:13] - Jesus as the Bread of Life
[22:51] - Israelites and Manna
[23:31] - Physical and Spiritual Beings
[24:16] - Spiritual Hunger
[24:44] - Jesus Satisfies Our Deepest Needs
[25:13] - Belief in Jesus
[26:00] - Eucharist as Foretaste
[26:27] - Necessity of Spiritual Food
[27:16] - Missing Out on Christ
[27:53] - Prayer for Deeper Belief
[28:37] - The Importance of Mass
[30:08] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. John 6:35 - "Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.'"
2. John 6:48-51 - "I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
#### Observation Questions
1. What did Father Sean's father often say to him about trying new foods, and how does this relate to our spiritual lives? [21:21]
2. How did the Israelites respond to Jesus' claim that He is the bread of life, and what was their reference point? [22:41]
3. According to the sermon, what is the significance of Jesus offering Himself as the bread of life? [24:16]
4. What does Father Sean say about the necessity of spiritual food compared to physical food? [26:27]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Jesus refer to Himself as the bread of life, and what does this metaphor imply about our spiritual needs? [22:13]
2. How does the concept of spiritual hunger differ from physical hunger, and why is it important to recognize this distinction? [23:51]
3. What does it mean to believe in Jesus beyond intellectual acknowledgment, and why is this deeper belief crucial for Christians? [25:35]
4. How does receiving the Eucharist transform our spiritual lives according to Father Sean's sermon? [28:11]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt spiritually hungry. How did you try to satisfy that hunger, and what was the outcome? [23:51]
2. Father Sean mentioned that even demons believe in Jesus' existence. How can you move beyond mere intellectual belief to a deeper trust in Jesus' words and promises? [25:35]
3. How can you cultivate a deeper belief in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist? What specific steps can you take this week to grow in this belief? [27:53]
4. Think about the ways you seek satisfaction in earthly things. How can you shift your focus to seek spiritual nourishment from Jesus instead? [24:44]
5. Father Sean emphasized the importance of asking Jesus for the grace to believe. How can you incorporate this prayer into your daily routine? [27:53]
6. How does understanding the Eucharist as the most significant act of receiving God into our bodies change your perspective on attending Mass? [28:11]
7. Identify one area of disbelief or doubt in your spiritual life. How can you invite Jesus to remove this disbelief and fill you with the grace to fully believe? [27:53]
Devotional
Day 1: Spiritual Hunger and Nourishment
Our spirits hunger for spiritual nourishment, and Jesus, the bread of life, offers Himself to satisfy this deep spiritual hunger. Earthly sustenance will never fully satisfy us, just as physical food alone cannot sustain our spiritual well-being. Jesus emphasizes that He is the true bread from heaven, meant to satisfy our deepest spiritual hunger. Just as our bodies need physical food to survive, our spirits need spiritual food to thrive. Without it, we face eternal death, which is far worse than physical death. Jesus invites us to partake in this spiritual nourishment, offering Himself as the essential sustenance for our souls. [23:51]
John 6:35 (ESV): "Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.'"
Reflection: What are some ways you have tried to satisfy your spiritual hunger with earthly things? How can you turn to Jesus today to fulfill that deep spiritual need?
Day 2: Belief Beyond Intellect
True belief in Jesus goes beyond intellectual acknowledgment. Even demons believe in His existence, but genuine belief involves trusting in His words and promises. This belief is not something we can will into existence; we must ask Jesus for the grace to believe. Without this belief, everything we do as Christians is pointless. True belief means trusting in Jesus with our whole hearts, not just our minds. It requires a deep, personal relationship with Him, where we rely on His grace to strengthen our faith and trust in His promises. [25:35]
James 2:19 (ESV): "You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!"
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle to trust Jesus fully? How can you ask Him for the grace to deepen your belief and trust in His promises today?
Day 3: The Significance of the Eucharist
Receiving the Eucharist is not just a ritual but a profound act of receiving God into our bodies. Without belief in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, our Christian practices become meaningless. The Eucharist is a tangible expression of Jesus' love and sacrifice, a way for us to physically and spiritually connect with Him. It is a foretaste of the heavenly banquet, a reminder of the eternal life that Jesus offers us. By believing in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, we open ourselves to the transformative power of His love and grace. [28:11]
1 Corinthians 10:16 (ESV): "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?"
Reflection: How do you approach the Eucharist? Do you see it as a mere ritual, or do you truly believe in the real presence of Jesus? How can you deepen your understanding and appreciation of the Eucharist?
Day 4: The Necessity of Spiritual Food
Just as physical food sustains our bodies, spiritual food sustains our souls. Without it, we face eternal death, which is far worse than physical death. Jesus offers Himself as this essential spiritual nourishment. He is the true bread from heaven, meant to satisfy our deepest spiritual hunger. By partaking in this spiritual food, we are nourished and strengthened in our faith, enabling us to live out our Christian calling. Without this spiritual sustenance, we are left spiritually malnourished and unable to thrive in our relationship with God. [26:27]
Isaiah 55:2 (ESV): "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food."
Reflection: What are some ways you can incorporate spiritual nourishment into your daily routine? How can you prioritize your spiritual well-being and seek the sustenance that Jesus offers?
Day 5: Prayer for Deeper Belief
We cannot force ourselves to believe more deeply; we must ask Jesus for the grace to believe. By praying for this grace, we open ourselves to a fuller understanding and experience of His presence in the Eucharist. This belief will transform our lives, allowing us to experience the fullness of God's love and never have to wonder what we're missing. Prayer is a powerful tool that connects us with God, enabling us to seek His guidance and strength in our faith journey. By consistently praying for deeper belief, we invite the Holy Spirit to work within us, strengthening our faith and trust in Jesus. [27:53]
Mark 9:24 (ESV): "Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, 'I believe; help my unbelief!'"
Reflection: What specific areas of disbelief or doubt do you struggle with? How can you incorporate prayer into your daily life to ask Jesus for the grace to believe more deeply?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "The things you seek on this earth will never satisfy you. But I will satisfy you with myself. And so Jesus is starting to tease them as he says this thing. He says, the bread of life. Tease not like he's playing around, but that he's starting to give them the wet the palate. I'm going to give you a taste of what I'm going to be talking about in the next like 30 verses. I'm going to take you to a place that you haven't been yet because you haven't understood what the bread from heaven is." [24:44] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Think about this. If on a natural level, I need physical food to sustain my body, then how much more do I need spiritual food to sustain me so that I don't experience everlasting death? If I don't eat natural food, I die. If I don't eat the spiritual food from heaven, I will have eternal death, which is much worse than the first death." [26:27] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "You don't know what you're missing when you don't know Christ. But then I would say to us who are in the pews, to we who are in the sanctuary, we don't know what we're missing if we don't really believe or fully believe. Well, how do I get to full belief? I can't will it. I can't just make myself believe more. I'm going to make, I'm going to believe it's Jesus. No, I have to ask him, I have to say, Jesus, would you please give me the grace to believe?" [27:16] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "Our spirits, just as our bodies hunger for natural food, our spirits hunger for spiritual food. That's why people go to a bunch of different places to seek revelation about their future. They go to psychics or they go to mediums because they want to know. They want to know because their spirits, our spirits are made from not of this earth. And so if that's the case, then I have to be fed, just as my body has to be fed with bodily food, my spirit has to be fed with spiritual food." [23:51] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "God, who created us in his love, says, how am I going to feed you? Is I'm going to feed you with myself. It's like a mother who nurses the newborn infant from herself. So God says, I want to nurse you. I want to feed you, not with something else of this earth because that will never satisfy." [24:16] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Do we believe that his words are true? Do I believe that when he says, I am the bread of life and we're going to be going deep into this in the next few weeks, when he says that, that he's actually giving himself to us in the Holy Eucharist. We just had the Eucharist at Congress over the summer and one of the presenters, one of the sisters said that he gives us a foretaste of the full taste. And he sustains us for the full taste with the foretaste, which happens here." [25:35] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "You coming to Mass is pointless. If it's not him, if it's not him, then what you're doing here is futile. It's pointless. If it is him, then this is the greatest single thing you could do in the entirety of your life, is to come to Mass, even once, to receive God in your body." [28:11] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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