What Can You Do?

Gospel: John 6: 30-35

The crowd has been following Jesus around for quite some time.  They have seen various signs - the water made wine in Cana, healings, exorcisms, and they were fed with the multiplied loaves and fishes.  They know not how he managed to get across the shore.  And yet they ask him for yet another sign.  This crowd has physically passed over to the other shore, but they are unable to achieve the transformation that such a passing over signifies.  

For Jesus tells them that the sign he will give them is a life of total surrender and sacrifice, a life of mercy and loving kindness extended to others, a life that will be given up to death at the hands of the crowd itself.  To partake of the bread Jesus provides is to take up this very life for ourselves, a life this bread enables us to achieve and live out each day.  This is the sign Jesus offers to them, and to us, one that they will not be able to accept.  

But for us there is still time to accept this sign and to live that sign in our lives.  If we are to partake of the bread Jesus offers, then we commit to taking up this life of love and mercy for others.  The crowd chose the way of violence, the way of Barabbas, the way of a political Messiah. Many Christians today do so as well, mocking the way of the Suffering Servant, the Prince of Peace.  The choice is ever before us - Barabbas, or Jesus of Nazareth.