“What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”

JOhn 6:28

John 6:22-29

Reflection

The five thousand people whom Jesus had fed go looking for him, and eventually find him across the sea in Capernaum. They ask how he got there, and Jesus replies that they are only looking for him because he filled their stomachs. He urges them to work for food that endures for eternal life by accomplishing the works of God, which means believing in the one he sent.

Jesus tells the people that in order to accomplish the work of God, they must believe in the one he sent, namely, himself. As Christians, we believe in Jesus and so seem to fulfill this command of Christ’s. Yet simply believing in Christ gets us nowhere if we do not act upon our faith as well. We are also called to live a Christian lifestyle and obey God.

The people ask Jesus how they are to accomplish the works of God; we each do this is varying ways, depending how we follow God’s will. We can each ask Christ for assistance and guidance in conforming our will to his, for in this, we accomplish what God desires us to do. Every person has a unique talent and calling from God – we must simply ask how he wants us to use our gifts to accomplish his will.

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Saint of the Day

St. Conrad of Parzham: 1818 – 1894

“I resolve to ask myself, whenever I have to encounter crosses of suffering, ‘Conrad, why have you come here?’” St. Conrad of Parzham