Today is April 29, 2020. Wednesday in the Third Week of Easter.
The people are hungry and thirsty.
Many are hungry and thirsty for food to eat, many are hungry and thirsty for freedom outside of their homes, and many are hungry and thirsty for justice due to cruelty.
The world, as we know it, is currently suffering due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While the crisis has brought out the good in people who go out of their way to help those in need, it has also brought the bad out of others—those who take advantage of the situation for their own selfish benefit and those who purposely ignore the obvious injustices and remain indifferent towards the growing crisis.
So much of the world is currently starving, yet many people are privileged enough to be able to satisfy their demands almost immediately by having comfort within their arm’s reach. I am one of those privileged people, too. We are able to have food on our tables, have time for ourselves while in quarantine, and have safety from unjust treatments. However, a lot of people—more than we all know—are not even half as fortunate.
These same people are the ones who aren’t able to fill their growling stomachs because they don’t have enough money to provide for their basic needs. Moreover, they don’t get much help or “ayuda” as much as they should either; and with the quarantine halting the normal daily routine of everyone’s lives, especially work, these people suffer way more than we think.
So many privileged people who refuse to go out of their comfort bubble continue to call these people “matitigas ang ulo” or “pasaway” without truly understanding the reality of their struggles. These privileged ones continue to close their minds to those who actually need their help and voice. As a result, they belittle the efforts of these underprivileged people in merely providing scraps for themselves.
Indeed, we fail to admit it within ourselves, but we are all hungry and thirsty. It may not be physical hunger, as most of us live in comfort with food inside our pantries and refrigerators, but it is definitely spiritual hunger— a hunger for something greater than ourselves.
Thus, in today’s Gospel, Jesus calls all of us to partake in Him, especially during this time of crisis. He tells us one important thing: He is the Bread of Life. Anyone who comes to Him and believes in Him shall never hunger or thirst.
The modern world provides us with so many temporary satisfactions and dissatisfactions, but Jesus tells us over and over again that in Him, we will be truly satisfied. The true happiness and contentment that all of us long and desire for come from Him and in Him alone. With this, we shouldn’t settle in merely knowing this. We have to fully open our hearts and minds to Jesus and allow Him to fill us with His love.
Especially during this time, we are called to reflect on Jesus’ life and time on this world. We are called to reflect on how Jesus stood up for the oppressed, how He tirelessly helped the poor and marginalized, and how He selflessly died on the cross just to save us, sinful humans, from the punishments of our own wrongdoings. We are called to see Him, believe in Him, and emulate His actions and teachings. We must open ourselves to Him, so that as a result, we open our hearts to our brothers and sisters who need most of our help during these trying times.
We must see the same oppressed people that Jesus stood up for in the cries of the victims of brutality and tyranny. We must see the same poor and marginalized people in the eyes of our impoverished countrymen who desperately need a voice that’s powerful enough to make their concerns heard. More importantly, we have to open ourselves to real selflessness in order to let go of our prejudices towards others and realize that empathy can make us truly human.
Moreover, the Gospel today also continues to tell us that to give eternal life to those who come and believe in Jesus is the will of God the Father. He will not reject those who come to Him as God wants everyone to be with Him—truly be with Him.
Indeed, God wants His people to be close to Him. He doesn’t want us to be far away from Him, which is why He sent His only Son to redeem us from our sins and bring us back to the Father. That is already a big evidence and testament of His eternal love for us. Thus, as His people, we all have to do our part in believing in Jesus’ works and teachings and allowing Him to take part and revolve in our daily lives. And especially now, during this time of crisis, we have to imitate Him even more by being active and educated citizens that truly care about the plight of our fellow brothers and sisters who are not as fortunate as we are during this time.
As of the moment, we are all hungry and thirsty. But with Jesus, all of us will be satisfied.
Gwyneth Dianne L. Zenarosa is a Grade 10 Junior High School completer. She is an aspiring author and musician and the director of the musical play “Sa Bagong Pag-asa”.
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