4th Sunday of Lent 2010

“Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen” – The Book of Common Prayer

Jesus said in John 6:48-51: “I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”

A constant theme in the background of this Lenten season has been how much we need to rely on Christ. We always fail in our human weaknesses, but with the power of Christ in our lives, we can be victorious.

This week, what has been in the background has come to the forefront. We learn what is most important for our lives: that we eat from the bread of life that is Christ. Earthly food can only sustain and give us strength for a limited time. Heavenly food can sustain and give us strength for eternity.

We must constantly partake of the bread of life so that we may be sustained throughout this life and the next. We cannot hope to overcome sin without this heavenly food.

As we continue this Lenten journey, be sure that as you are fasting you are also partaking of Christ so that you may overcome all adversity.