With Christ as our centre and source, we, too become bread.

Picture a crowd of people, stretching as far as the eye can see, camped out in the wilderness. These aren’t just travellers – they’re Hebrews, fresh from their dramatic exodus from Egypt, following Moses to the Promised Land.

As time went on, their food supplies were short, and they began to grow hungry. People started to whisper, “Remember the good old days in Egypt? Sure, we were slaves, but at least our bellies were full!” Some even went so far as to say, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt.” They’re weighing up the between a plentiful serving of captivity against the empty plates of freedom. Hearing their complaints, Moses and Aaron prayed to God. In response, God provided food, but interestingly, there was a condition attached to it: God commanded them to gather only what they needed for one day and not to gather more for the next day. The exception was that on the day before the Sabbath, they could gather two days’ worth so that they would not work on the Sabbath.

Let’s look deeper into verse 16, which says ‘Gather as much of it as one’s need’. We might think that young and robust people could gather a lot, while the elderly and weak could gather only a little. Yet, in verses 17-18, which we didn’t read, the term ‘omer’ is mentioned. An omer is approximately 2.2 litres, is considered the amount needed to sustain an adult for a day.

Remarkably, ‘Some reaped much, and some reaped little; but when it was measured in omer, those who reaped much had no extra, and those who reaped little had no shortage. They each took in just “enough to eat.” In other words, each person reaped according to their ability, but God provided for each person’s needs. This divine wisdom in God’s provision enlightens us, focusing on ‘enough’ rather than ‘lack’.

The Manna and Quail story isn’t just about miraculous fast food. It’s a litmus test of trust in God’s daily provision. The story is about whether we partially or fully trust in God, who ‘provides our daily bread’. Not surprisingly, some people were worried about the next day and gathered more than they needed. However, by the next morning, the extra food was rotten.

Complete trust is the act of gathering enough to eat today, trusting that tomorrow will surely bring manna and quail as it did today. So it means not worrying about tomorrow. God is the one who will provide the manna needed to feed, house, and care for everyone in the world.

God’s Response to People’s Needs

The challenge lies in the difference between God’s provision for our lives and our expectations and desires. For instance, we often focus on short-term, immediate needs, while God may consider long-term growth and spiritual maturity. Moreover, there might also be a difference in timing. We desire immediate answers, but God knows the best time for each of us. As a result, God cultivates our patience and faith through the process. Additionally, sometimes, we expect things to work out in specific ways, but God might lead us through unexpected ways.

Let me share a story about a young woman named Sarah. Sarah always wanted to be a doctor. She worked really hard in school, but when she applied to medical school, she didn’t get anywhere. Sarah was really upset. She couldn’t understand why God would let this happen when she felt so sure it was what she was meant to do. Feeling lost, Sarah took a year off and helped out at a local health clinic. It was there that she found what she really loved – helping whole communities stay healthy. Sarah ended up studying public health and became a leader in assisting communities to stay healthy. She touched more lives this way than she ever could have as a regular doctor. Looking back, she saw that what seemed like a big disappointment was actually God’s way of showing her what she was really meant to do.

Given this point, how can we align God’s provision with our own expectations and desires? If we view life focusing on what we don’t have, we’ll fall into endless comparing, complaining, and temptation. On the other hand, if we view today’s Exodus passage through the lens of God’s ‘abundance’ meeting our needs, it can lead us to a more generous and sharing life. Ultimately, this perspective makes us grateful for what we’ve received and inspires us to share with others. It is our willingness to trust God completely and our decision of faith to follow God’s plan, not our own.

 ‘I am the bread of Life.’

Throughout the Scripture, there are many references to bread, from manna coming down from heaven to the story of Jesus’ miraculous feeding of the multitudes with just five barley loaves as in the early reading from John 6. Indeed, the miracle of feeding the five thousand with five barley bread and two fish amazed the people, and they began to see Jesus as a new Moses, even wanting to make Him their king. Perhaps their idea was that Jesus could manage the economy so well that everyone would be fed and have money left over to spend as they pleased.  However, Jesus’ words toward the crowd in today’s text, ‘I am the bread of life,’ point to something far beyond physical sustenance.

This leads us to reflect: What do you feed on? Jesus says, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” Here is one thing that will truly sustain us: Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life. Those who eat of Him will never be hungry; primal fears will no longer deform them; dark desires will no longer drive them; but instead, they will enjoy the deep love of Jesus and be gifted with abundant life.

Now, let’s turn the question around.  How do we feed others?  When we gather around the table, we affirm that we are the body of Christ, and this body is -the bread of life- given for the life of the world. We have been drawn to feed upon him. In doing so, we become one with Christ, bone of His bone, flesh of His flesh. By our partaking of him, we are transformed into His image, and by making Christ the centre and source of our lives, we too become bread.