18th Sunday-B

Good evening/morning everyone, our special welcome to all our visitors to the best church in town. 

Once a man said, "My doctor advised me to give up those intimate little dinners for four, unless of course, other three people are eating with me". 

Once a rich Texan former visited his poor cousin in Ontario and as they were talking, the Texan said, "how much land do you have?" The Ontario man said, "I think about two hundred acres...and not that much you know". Then the Texan said, "You know if I start driving in the morning from one end, it will take almost the evening to reach the other end of my land..." The Ontario man began to laugh and laugh and said, "you know what I used to have exactly the same kind of vehicle once". 

Last weekend after saying how a priest went on holiday and decided to go to the beach incognito and there came a beautiful blonde lady and says, "Good morning Fr. Paul and have a nice day". The priest was confused saying to himself, "I am five thousand km away from the parish and who is she and how does she know me" the next day also the same thing happened. The third day, Fr. Paul stopped her and said, "Who are you? And how do you know me? Please tell me who you are. She looks at him and says, 'Fr. Paul, don't you recognize me? It's me Sr. Monica. 

After Mass, a person came to me and shook my hand and you know what she said, "Oh Father, I am visiting, and I am sister Monica". 

I have a high respect for nuns because they do really sacrifice so much make our Catholic church so alive and active. In 1993, I met with Mother Teresa in Italy and she said, "Today people are not hungry of food but of love and forgiveness"  

Dear Friends in Christ, 

Jesus is the living bread that comes down from heaven. He feeds us with happiness and joy and He gives us unconditional love and forgiveness and nothing will lack for those who go to Him. 

During world war time, thousands of children were orphaned and left to starve. Many were rescued and were placed in special camps. But those poor children had a big challenge of sleeping at night time because of fear of waking up in the morning to find out that they were homeless. Then a psychologist came up with the powerful idea of giving each child a piece of bread to hold at bedtime, then they found children could sleep peacefully.  

During the dark hours, the bread was a reminder that they had eaten and would eat again tomorrow. For those children, bread was a symbol of life and survival. The bread gave them hope and meaning. 

In today's gospel, Christ our Lord says, "Ego sum panis vitae"...I am the bread of life. The people who never experienced a pure holy love; people who felt so rejected and unwanted and people who were considered low-life and so on began to experience something new and wonderful. Every time they met with Christ, and every time they heard His powerful words and witnessed His miracles, they had that experience of high power of electricity of love went through their veins. They wanted to stay with Him forever.  

And thus, Christ, who fed them with mere bread and fish and satisfied their physical needs, reveals something unimaginable to human mind. Yes, Christ is saying, "I am the bread of life". The bread that gives eternal life; the food which satisfies all our physical and spiritual needs. As we hold on to that food namely Christ Himself, though we die, we live forever. 

Once a Japanese soldier was put in prison with another Canadian soldier and the Canadian was helping the Japanese soldier, bandaging him, feeding him and being so nice and showing great respect and love. One day the Japanese soldier was dying and the Canadian said, "You know what you should accept Christ as your God and Messiah and thus you will live with Him forever" you know what the Japanese soldier said, "I will definitely accept Him if He is nice and wonderful like you".  

Yes, Christ is the bread of life and let us share His love and kindness with others and thus one day, everyone will know the great love of God and live in harmony. God bless.