Tuesday 21 April 2026 - I am the bread of life
Tuesday 21 April 2026 Today is Tuesday the 21st of April, in the third week of Easter. Jon Guerra sings, ‘I See the Birds.’ Can you rest in the simplicity of Jesus’ care for you today? Do not be anxious about your life I heard you say to me You dress the lilies You leave the weeds The sower of the seed Am I in charge of my own mind Or is it in charge of me? I see the birds up in the air I know you feed them I know you care So won't you teach me How I mean more to you than them In times of trouble Be my help again You've held me sturdy You've led me on Through years of joy and grief So don't you leave me All on my own You know me, Lord I'm weak I see the birds up in the air I know you feed them I know you care So won't you teach me How I mean more to you than them In times of trouble Be my help again Oh, be my help again Don't you worry, child Don't you worry, child He won't leave you by yourself In times of trouble, he's your help I'm letting go of my own life I'm letting go again I see the birds up in the air I know you feed them I know you care So won't you teach me How I mean more to you than them In times of trouble Be my help again Be ever present Lord, won't you be my closest friend In times of trouble Be my help again Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John. John 6:30-35 So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. This is part of a speech that arose from Jesus’ feeding of the multitudes. “What sign are you going to give us?”. This seems like a very bold question to ask Jesus! They almost sound entitled... What is your reaction to it? “Our ancestors ate the manna in the desert”. Why do they mention this, do you think? “Whoever comes to me will never be hungry”. Have you found this to be true in your life? Now listen as the passage is read to you once more. Is there anything that leaps out of the passage as you hear it? John 6:30-35 So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. Finally, as you look back over this time of quiet prayer, where did you find the presence of God? Or was it an absence? Can you turn that into a prayer to God that sums it all up? Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be World without end Amen