1 Kgs. 19:4-8; Ps. 34:2-9; Eph. 4:30—5:2; Jn. 6:41-51

Jesus is both the fisherman and the catch.  Jesus has been telling the people that he is “the living bread that came down from heaven.”  As a good fisherman he is reeling in the people with his word providing wisdom for the ages by revealing who he is.  He is not only the Son of God who came down from heaven but the food we are to eat in order to have eternal life.  This is the catch for those who believe, caught in the net of salvation.  Jesus goes from being the fisherman of our souls to becoming the catch that we will eat in order to live. 

This is the mystery of faith is how the fisherman becomes the catch.  Many refused this teaching then and even to this day.   Even now for many the question remains, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?  The answer is because he is God the Son who took on human flesh in order to be the sacrificial lamb of atonement for our sins.  More deeply is because he is love, the beginning and the end of the eternal who desires to transform us with his own body and blood becoming united as one in a spirit of love.  Love is the purpose, journey, and the catch.   

Are we caught up in the net of God’s love tasting and seeing the goodness of the Lord?  The heart of love gives thanks always and for everything, for everything is a gift from God when we remain in him, he promises to remain in us.  How good it is to be caught up in the net of Jesus.  It is the net of freedom, the promise of salvation and way of justice.  How is it that in a world of information technology makes access to the revelation from God so available so few seek and find the way?  Being part of the catch of coming to Jesus also has a “catch”. 

The catch of coming to Jesus has a “catch” in all of the history of salvation.  From the time of Moses and the giving of the Commandments to the teaching of Jesus “faith alone” does not fulfill the requirement.  Faith is a movement in which we act, love, and live beyond simply a belief.  Many can say “I believe’ but not live the faith that is given to us by the Father, by Jesus and by the Spirit.  Faith is a movement, we are moved by faith to give of ourself in a way in which we empty ourselves of “self” in order to serve a greater good, a higher purpose, a divine calling.  The catch is an obedience to the faith and this is where we stray away to our own misery.  The well-known expression is “Jesus cannot save us without us.” 

Everyone is not going to heaven and it is not Jesus’ fault.  He gives us his own body and blood to eat and drink every time we come to Mass that we may live and so many value it so little.  This is the bread to live forever.  So, I invite everyone this day with the question “what is holding you back from receiving this bread?”  “I am not Catholic.” There is a way to become Catholic.  “I am not married in the church”.  There is a process of convalidating a marriage.  “I was married before this marriage.”  There is a juridical process to examine the validity of a marriage and resolve the issue.  “I haven’t gone to confession in years.”  There are confessions every week or you can schedule an appointment with a priest.  There is a way and God provides the way through his church.  Come to the way and enjoy the catch!