Satisfying our hungers. What are you hungry for? What are your appetites?

Good News Reflection
Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter
April 21, 2010

Today's Saint: Anselm of Canterbury
Pray for those who are enslaved:
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/Anselm.htm

Today's Readings:
Acts 8:1b-8
Ps 66:1-7a
John 6:35-40
http://www.usccb.org/nab/042110.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_04_21.mp3

Satisfying our hungers

What are you hungry for? What are your appetites?

One day as I sat down at my computer to prepare one of these Good News Reflections, I brought with me a cup of yogurt, and it made my birds hungry. I had an old parakeet, who squatted wearily next to my keyboard, and a parrot that perched on top of his cage in the window keeping one eye on the beautiful outdoors and one eye on me. When they realized that I was eating, these well-fed pets suddenly thought they were very hungry. The little guy found energy and the big one turned on his charm by calling my name. Of course I gave them what they wanted.

This is how it is with Jesus. As he says in today's Gospel reading, when we realize we're hungry for the good things of the Lord, he gives them to us. Think of a hardship that you're enduring. How do you feel when you see others receive help from their faith? Don't you get hungry for the same benefits? This kind of hunger produces a surge of new energy that turns our hearts toward Jesus, and we ask him to give us what we need. Even if we've already done this a hundred times and we're still waiting for help, the faith of others inspires us to give our hunger to Jesus again.

He won't ever starve us! He cares about us. He cares about YOU! Much more than I care about my well-fed birds.

Hunger and thirst for Jesus are triggered by all sorts of experiences: lack of good health, lack of human companionship, lack of attention, lack of time to do everything we want to do, and so on. Jesus never rejects us when we call out to him in our hungers and our lacks. Read again what he says in this passage from John.

If we believe in Jesus but still feel dissatisfied or empty or hungry for more, it's because we don't fully believe that he is fully with us, fully caring for us. Any on-going hunger is an indication that we need to spend more time learning who Jesus really is and more time resting in a state of prayer meditating on his love.

Hungers that are not converted into energy that turns our hearts toward Jesus become addictions to alcohol or drugs or overeating or shopping or work or immoral relationships. Those who hunger to get their needs met without Jesus are never satisfied, so they continually seek more, more, more. Hopefully, when they become desperately hungry enough and all else has failed them, they will finally turn to Jesus with their whole heart and receive the nourishment that satisfies and heals.

What would it take for you to open up to the fullness of what Jesus wants to give you? Every hunger is another opportunity to experience him. Daily, we're invited to receive this Bread of Life. And daily we're called to let others see Jesus satisfying our hungers, so that they, too, will turn to him.

© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission.
You may print one copy for your own personal use.
For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm

Seeking a past reflection?
Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free as a special gift to subscribers of these emailed reflections.

WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND?
To sign up for your own subscription, go to:
http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections


Why do I need you as a partner in my daily ministry?
Please help with a donation, including non-financial support. Good News Ministries affects countless lives around the world, including in countries where people have no Catholic Mass and where Christianity is persecuted. continue...

Join the cause on facebook and help spread the message!

Note: Good News Ministries is a non-profit organization that accepts donations as support for its ministries but does not charge for anything. Catholic Digital Resources™ is Terry Modica's publishing house providing professional writing services; the income from this will eventually support the future growth and projects of Good News Ministries. Please spread the word; tell your DRE, RCIA Director, pastor, etc. about what's available for parishes at Catholic Digital Resources™.

______________________________________________________________
This is the "Good News Reflections - American Edition" mailing list.
MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION:
Change your address
Unsubscribe