On day while I was celebrating mass I noticed a three-year old boy wander into the middle aisle. 

He was wearing a backpack almost as big as he was. He started spinning in a circle, a slow spinning. His mother looked over and saw him spinning around and reached out for him. But he stepped back from her and kept spinning. I could see his mother reach out for him again. 

He took another step back. Finally he began to stagger. His mother’s hand was there. He grabbed it and she reeled him in. She took him up into her arms where his head flopped into her shoulder. 

I think this is like us and God at times. We go round and round in circles and God is there waiting for us with a hand out, ready to pull us in. But like the boy, we say  “NO thank you Lord, I can get by in life all by myself.”  We step back and keep on spinning. Hopefully when we teeter we reach out and grasp the hand of God that is waiting for us.

In today’s Gospel (John 6:24-35)  Jesus gives the people who were following him a choice. He had just multiplied the loaves and fish. The next day the crowds are still following him, looking for another miracle. Now Jesus wants to feed them with his words and especially with his very self. “I am the bread come down from heaven that feeds the world.”

The question is: “Will they take the hand of God reaching out to them through Jesus?” Some do, many do not. 

Are YOU simply spinning around and around?  Are YOU feeding yourself on the words of Jesus and on Jesus himself? 

Thanks to Helena Lopes for the photo.

IF WE PRAYED AS MUCH AS WE WORRIED, WE’D HAVE A LOT LESS TO WORRY ABOUT! 

A second homily on Sunday is a good thing. Do share this one and my Podcast.