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Blessed Lord God, you have caused the holy scriptures to be written for the nourishment of your people. Grant that we may hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that, comforted by your promises, we may embrace and forever hold fast to the hope of eternal life, which you have given us in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen
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Gospel: John 6:24-35 (NRSV)
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 24 So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" 26 Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal." 28 Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?"29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." 30 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? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32 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. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."
35 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.
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Reflection
The crowd got into the boats and went looking for Jesus. When they find him they ask a lot of questions - When did Jesus get there? What do they have to do to perform works of God? What sign will you give us, what work will you perform, Jesus? Seeking the kingdom of God, yet, they seemingly don't see the way through Jesus who is right there in front of them.
On the one hand it seems that this group of followers is certainly doing the right thing - they are seeking Jesus. Many of them have just recently eaten their fill with Jesus and his disciples on the mountain. They had seen a miracle in this feeding and recognized that Jesus was someone special - surely a Prophet, and they want to hear more from him and to see some action from him to affirm what they are thinking. At the same time, the people apparently don't truly recognize that Jesus is indeed God come down from heaven. He is right in front of them and they still don't see or understand that there is more than just bread and fish that is important.
How often do we go to Jesus seeking something - healing for illness, an answer to our prayer for a new job, more people in the pews of our congregations and miss the presence of God in the small ways He speaks to us? Do we become impatient and complain when it seems that the answers just aren't happening as quickly as we want them to? Are we sometimes ungrateful for the answer we receive from God, especially when it isn't what we wanted? The Israelites complained out of their earthly hunger and God gave them manna from heaven to eat. Soon enough though, they grew tired of eating the same old food every day, even a bit ungrateful. Those who follow Jesus to Capernaum eagerly seek tangible bread - Jesus offers them so much more than they are seeking or expect - spiritual bread. Often we too, seek the tangible things, visible signs from God that we believe will make our lives better - more possessions, more money, better health, and long life. We keep ever so busy trying to achieve these things rather than taking time with our Lord. Jesus calls us to come to Him, to rest in his love, to gather with other believers, to spend time in prayer and Bible study, to share our faith story with others - these are the things that bring us ever closer to Jesus.
I am the Bread of life,
He who comes to Me shall not hunger,
He who believes in Me shall not thirst.
No one can come to Me
Unless the Father draw him.
And I will raise him up,
And I will raise him up,
And I will raise him up on the last day.
(ELW # 485)
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