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TODAY'S READING:

- John 6:22-71, Mark 7:1-23, Matthew 15:1-20

WORD OF THE DAY:

- Heart

In today’s readings, Jesus offers profound insights into what truly matters—our hearts. The physical bread that sustains us is fleeting, but the spiritual nourishment Jesus offers leads to eternal life. As we dig deeper into His teachings, we’re called to examine our hearts and our hunger for God.

After feeding the 5,000, the crowd follows Jesus across the Sea of Galilee. When they find Him, they are hungry—physically and spiritually. Jesus points out that they are seeking Him because they ate their fill of bread, but He wants them to hunger for something more: eternal life.

This statement carries great weight. Jesus is not just another teacher; He is the source of life itself. The crowd, however, struggles with His words, especially when He talks about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. This teaching is difficult, and many turn away, unable to accept it.

But Jesus doesn’t back down. His message is clear—eternal life comes only through Him, the true bread from heaven. In the end, it’s Peter who acknowledges what the others could not.

Jesus' invitation is open to all, but it’s not always easy to accept. He calls us to place our faith in Him completely, to trust Him as the Bread of Life that sustains us.

While Jesus teaches about the internal transformation needed to enter the kingdom of God, the Pharisees are caught up in external rituals. They question why some of Jesus' disciples don't follow the traditional hand-washing rules.

The Pharisees were so focused on outward appearances—following traditions and rituals—that they missed the importance of inner purity.

What truly matters to God is the state of our hearts. Jesus lists the sins that flow from a corrupt heart—immorality, greed, deceit, envy, pride. These are what defile us, not whether we follow every religious rule to the letter.

The heart is central to everything Jesus teaches. In the Bible, the heart is not just a physical organ but the seat of life, emotion, and morality. It’s where our true character resides.

But Jesus also offers hope. He doesn’t just point out the problem; He offers the solution. Through Him, we can receive a new heart—one that is pure, one that reflects His love and grace.

The world offers many distractions—just like the Pharisees’ focus on traditions, we too can get caught up in external appearances, in rules and routines. But Jesus calls us to something deeper. He wants our hearts, not just our actions.

As someone who grew up in church, I often heard about the “rules” but missed the “heart” of the gospel. Jesus doesn’t want us to be perfect rule-followers; He wants us to be transformed from the inside out. He wants us to hunger for the Bread of Life, to seek nourishment that lasts for eternity.

It’s easy to polish the outside, but what about the inside? Are we allowing Jesus to transform our hearts? Are we letting His Spirit cleanse us, renew us, and make us whole?

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Day 284 - The Bread of Life: Jesus’ Call to Our Hearts (John 6, Mark 7, Matthew 15) Year 2 23:10 Share

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Day 284 - The Bread of Life: Jesus’ Call to Our Hearts (John 6, Mark 7, Matthew 15) Year 2