One phrase that reaches out to me in this weekend’s Gospel passage is the following: “do not work for food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life.” When I read this passage to prepare for writing this column, I stopped at this sentence and read it over and over. I thought, “This statement really sums up what our whole Christian life should be about.” Think about it. Over the years, we tend to put our eggs in the basket of: wealth, fame, fancy cars, making a lot of money, and power. As we age, the importance of all these things begins to dim in our view. When, at a later age, we need to move to a smaller house, we find ourselves asking, “Why did I keep all this stuff all these years?” And then we dispose of it. We can accumulate so much “stuff” in our lives, but, in the end, they are not important any longer. I am reminded of one of my all-time favorite quotes from St. Teresa of Avila, “all things are passing, God alone remains.” Jesus offers us Himself in the Eucharist. THIS is the food that endures for eternal life. We come to know Jesus in our lives in a variety of ways. The Eucharist gives us the strength for this journey of discovery in the following ways: it gives us *courage to carry out God's work in the world…*it helps us to live the life God wants for us and expects of us…*it inspires us to know the will of God in our lives…it provides a deeper understanding of Christ's abiding presence…*it encourages us to love others and strengthen the faith community … *it provides joy and peace of heart, knowing that Christ lives in us and will bring us to God's heavenly Kingdom. And so we endeavor to receive the Holy Eucharist with respect, devotion and awe. Let us never forget that the “Bread of Life” is Jesus Christ himself, not merely human bread. When we pray "give us this day our daily bread" let us remember that the Holy Eucharist is not simply a "snack," such as we might eat at a party or at lunch. The Eucharist is food for our souls giving us a share in God’s life. THAT is an awesome thought!!! In the depression years of the 1930’s millions of Americans were out of work and many thousands were hungry. In a number of cities religious groups set up bread-lines to feed the hungry. One of these was the Franciscan monastery in Cincinnati, Ohio. Every evening, the Friars, Brothers and lay volunteers prepared and gave a nourishing sandwich of bread and meat to hundreds of hungry men and women. It was interesting to note the reactions of the recipients. Many accepted the well prepared and well wrapped food with a smile and a thank you. Others, with head hanging, snatched the food package and shuffled off. Some tore the bag at once and started eating as they hurried away. Most of them ate every last crumb after a silent prayer and put the wrapping into a nearby container while others would eat only the meat and discard the bread on the road side. A few discontented ones just opened the package and then threw the entire contents away in protest. The way those hungry unfortunates reacted to that little lunch is a lot like the way His listeners received the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel. Are you listening? Really Listening? “Gospel Question for the Week”: Do you have the proper respect and awe surrounding your reception of the Eucharist?