Eastertide Day 19 Thursday May 8 2025
John 6: 44-51 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God. Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
In this passage, Jesus speaks of His divine mission and the gift of eternal life. He reminds us that no one can come to Him unless drawn by the Father, emphasizing the mysterious and grace-filled nature of our relationship with God. Jesus identifies Himself as the “bread of life,” the living bread that came down from heaven. Unlike the manna that sustained the Israelites temporarily, Jesus offers Himself as the true sustenance, granting eternal life to those who partake in Him.
During Eastertide, we celebrate the victory of Christ over death and His gift of new life to all who believe. This passage invites us to reflect on the depths of God’s love and the life-giving grace we receive through Jesus. It challenges us to trust in the sustenance that only He can provide, nourishing us not just for today but for eternity. As we journey through Eastertide, let us open our hearts to be drawn closer to the Father and to embrace the eternal life offered through Christ, the Bread of Life.
Prayer: Loving Father, we thank You for drawing us closer to You through Your Son, Jesus Christ. In this season of Eastertide, we rejoice in the gift of eternal life made possible through His death and resurrection. Help us to trust in Jesus, the Bread of Life, and to seek nourishment in His presence every day. May we be filled with Your grace, strengthened in faith, and inspired to share Your love with others. Draw us ever closer to You, that we may live fully in the joy and hope of Your promises.
In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.