The journey of life can find us in places similar to that of the Israelites and the people attracted to Jesus. We have hungers that we want God to satisfy but God provides for us in ways we do not expect. In our discomfort we seek familiar “comfort” food. We take refuge in what we remember of the past, even if it is a partial or distorted memory. Yet God provides for us to keep us moving toward His Kingdom. Like a child faced with a different food on his plate or the Israelites experiencing manna we react. “What is it?” This is usually followed by “I don’t like it!” How often does fear of what we do not know or have not experienced hold us back, paralyze us, or lead us to reject something that we come to discover is very good? We end up preferring a form of slavery to genuine freedom. Is this not true of our frustrated efforts to arrive at a just and equitable health care reform? A more vibrant parish in light of the call to merge? A more humane, faithful and family-centered life style? We can choose to remain in the desert of our hungers or move in courage and faith to follow Christ to the banquet of eternal life.
