Reflection for Sunday – August 4, 2024

Christine Nowak KvamSunday Readings Homilies

Readings: Exodus 16: 2-4, 12-15; Ephesians 4: 17, 20-24; John 6: 24-35 
Preacher: Christine Nowak Kvam

How often do we find ourselves looking for something to make us happy?  When feeling frustrated by the limitations of our home, we dream up renovations, upgrades, maybe even a whole different house that will make us more content with our daily surroundings.  We spend months planning a perfect vacation— from searching for the right AirBnB to making reservations at the best restaurants, we devote hours and hours to designing an experience with optimal enjoyment. 

 Or, on a smaller scale, we stand in front of the pantry searching for precisely the right item to satisfy our craving—maybe crunchy, salty chips in the lull of the afternoon or a double stuffed Oreo to satiate our 9 pm sweet tooth.  Whether we are pursuing a major change, a brief escape, or a moment of “yum,” we’re hoping to find happiness we feel we’re lacking.  

There may be nothing wrong with this; we may even experience the happiness we’re seeking, but things don’t stay new forever, vacations end, and treats only contain so many bites.  Not to mention the “buyer’s remorse” we sometimes experience when our happy plans don’t go quite as we expected.  Like the Israelites who, in today’s first reading, grumbled against their circumstances in the desert after hoping and praying for the Exodus that brought them there, we can find ourselves disappointed when the new kitchen tiles crack, the neighbors near our vacation rental are too loud, or the ice cream we excitedly scoop out is freezer burned.  Indeed, it is too often the case that what we think will bring us joy leaves us a little let down.

It seems like this is what Jesus was getting at in today’s Gospel when he said to the crowds, “You are looking for me not because you saw signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled.  Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life.”  In bemoaning that the crowds came because they were fed rather than because of the signs, Jesus calls out our tendency to focus so much on meeting a temporary need or desire that we lose sight of what really matters.  After all, in John’s Gospel the signs aren’t so much about the miracles themselves as they are about what they reveal— which is Jesus’ identity as the Son of God.  Looking at this Gospel scene with reflective, faithful hindsight it does seem ridiculous for the crowds to be more interested in a second helping of multiplied fish than in getting to know the Son of God.  But, if we’re honest with ourselves, aren’t we essentially doing the same thing when we’re renovating a room, planning a trip, or enjoying a snack?  So often we give our attention to something that, while perhaps good, will bring us only fleeting happiness.

What difference might it make if we put an equal amount of energy into building our relationship with God?  Saint Clare of Assisi (whose feast day we celebrate next week) offers an extraordinary example of the difference it can make.  Though she lived in radical holy poverty, owning nothing, subsisting entirely on alms, and often practicing severe (in reality excessive) fasting, those who knew Clare well affirmed that she was not grim, but rather joyous and radiant.  Her detachment freed her to devote all of her attention to God, and she experienced profound unity with God and authentic joy.  While the particular elements of Clare’s life are virtually unattainable (and, frankly, undesirable!) for us, her example points us in the direction of discipleship and offers us assurance that Jesus’ words are true, “Whoever comes to me will never hunger.”

The practice of seeking true fulfillment in relationship with God rather than in fleeting pleasures will look different for each of us.  And God’s generous mercy seems to indicate that it doesn’t necessarily require completely giving up the things which bring us enjoyment, but rather that we recognize them for what they are (things that perish) and ensure that we are not losing sight of what will bring deeper (eternal) contentment.

Maybe this looks like putting our time, research, and resources into improving our discipleship through volunteering, learning more about our faith, or sharing our gifts.  Maybe it looks like using some of our vacation time for a retreat.  Or maybe it looks like the simple practice of offering prayers of gratitude and praise in the lulls of the day when we need a pick-me-up.  Whatever path we choose, we can be assured that Jesus will meet us there, nourish us along the way, and rejoice with us in eternal life.

Christine Nowak Kvam
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