At this, because he said, “I am the Bread that came down from heaven,” the Jews started arguing over him: “Isn’t this the son of Joseph? Don’t we know his father? Don’t we know his mother? How can he now say, ‘I came down out of heaven’ and expect anyone to believe him?” (John 6: 41 – 42) 

Most shopping centres have large food courts with a number of different styles of food. Certain streets feature one fast food restaurant after another. Some neighbourhoods become noted for their upscale restaurants. Even university accommodation, boarding schools and hospital cafeterias, once notorious for bad food, now sport elaborate food stations.

So much of the world subsists on a particular starch – like rice or pasta or potatoes – as a basis of its food intake, and the same food is prepared and eaten in the same way day after day.

But in our land of incredible bounty, we insist on variety. Feel like a hot dog for lunch? There are all sorts to choose from – regular, all beef, low fat, vegetarian, kosher, chicken, turkey – just to name a few.

Jesus offers us a choice today. He never forces himself on us. It is an invitation. And included in that invitation is the gift of eternal life in heaven. It’s there for our taking, no matter how bad we may be feeling about ourselves. After all, Elijah prayed for death, but instead the angel of the Lord brought him food.

So among the many choices available to us, we can choose Jesus as our Bread of Life and be guaranteed eternal life. What more could we ask for?