Sunday Connection

Gospel Reading
John 6:24–35
Jesus teaches the crowds that he is the “bread of life.”

Making the Connection (Grades 1, 2, and 3)

Younger children are learning the difference between wants and needs. We can teach them that, in addition to needing food, shelter, clothing, love, and protection, they need the spiritual nourishment that only Jesus, the Bread of Life, can give them.

Materials needed

• pictures printed from the internet of things that we need (healthy food, water, home, caretakers, clothes, shoes) and things that are wants (toys, games, etc.); picture of Jesus

Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings

1. Place all the pictures except the one of Jesus on the floor or on a table and have children gather around. Invite them to help you sort them into two piles, things we want and things we need. After children have finished sorting, discuss why each picture shows a want or a need.
2. Say: In today’s Gospel, we learn about something else that we need. Last week, we learned that Jesus fed more than 5000 people with just five loaves of bread and two fish. After they ate, the crowds of people followed Jesus and the disciples. Listen carefully to hear what the people asked of Jesus and what he told them in response.
3. Read aloud today’s Gospel, John 6:24–35.
4. Ask: What did the people want Jesus to give them? (bread; food) Say: Jesus told them that he is the Bread of Life. He gave them something important. It was not a want but a need. He gave them spiritual food. When we celebrate Holy Communion, the bread and wine become Jesus’ Body and Blood. Jesus is truly present to us in this sacrament. When we receive him and follow him, he gives us life forever with God in heaven.
5. Say: When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” We pray for food to nourish our bodies and spiritual food to nourish our souls. We need both.
6. Close by praying together the Lord’s Prayer.

Gospel Reading
John 6:24–35
Jesus teaches the crowds that he is the “bread of life.”

Making the Connection (Grades 4, 5, and 6)

Older children are aware that as human beings we have many needs that must be fulfilled if we are to remain healthy and happy. We can help them to see that God provides us with all of these needs and fulfills our greatest need by giving us the gift of eternal life in the Eucharist.

Materials needed

• None

Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings

1. Tell the students that there are many needs that must be fulfilled to be healthy and happy. Invite them to name some of these needs. As they are named, invite a volunteer to write them on the board.

2. Observe that some needs are more important than others. Together look at the list that you have prepared and talk about ways in which these needs might be ranked. This will be challenging and should result in an interesting discussion. Allow time and reassure the students when there are disagreements.

3. Say: We human beings have many important needs that must be fulfilled if we are to be healthy and happy. In today’s Gospel, we hear that the people were seeking out Jesus because he had fed them with bread and fish (recall last week’s Gospel). Jesus tells the people that God will provide a wonderful gift that will satisfy an even more important need. Let’s listen carefully to this Gospel.

4. Read today’s Gospel, John 6:24–35.

5. Ask: What does Jesus say that he has already given the people? (that he gave them food, loaves of bread and fish, so that they would not be hungry) Are the people satisfied, or do they want something more? (They aren’t satisfied; they want more bread.)

6. Say: Jesus says that he will give them more bread, but this bread will be an even better gift than the food they have already eaten. The bread that he will give them will permit them to live forever with God in heaven. Jesus says that he will give them the gift of himself, that he is the bread of life. This is the gift that Jesus has given to us in the Eucharist.

7. Conclude in prayer, thanking God for all the wonderful gifts he has given to us, especially the gift of the Eucharist. Pray together the Magnificat.

Gospel Reading
John 6:24–35
Jesus teaches the crowds that he is the “bread of life.”

Making the Connection (Grades 7 and 8)

Young adolescents are developing emotionally and spiritually as well as physically. They have learned that physical needs must be met if they are to stay healthy. We can teach them the importance of also attending to their spiritual needs.

Materials needed

• None

Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings

1. Tell the young people that there are many needs that people require to be healthy and happy. Invite them to name some of these. As needs are named, invite a volunteer to write them on the board.

2. Observe that some needs are more important than others. Say: Sometimes we talk about our most important physical needs as our “basic human needs.” Which items on our list might be considered a “basic human need?” (water, food, shelter, clothing) There are also non-physical needs that might be considered “basic human needs.” What might be examples of these needs? (love, a sense of purpose, healthy relationships, faith)

3. Say: Human beings have many important needs that must be fulfilled if they are to be healthy and happy. In today’s Gospel, we hear that the people were seeking out Jesus because he had fed them abundantly with five loaves of bread and two fish. (Recall last week’s Gospel.) Jesus tells the people that God will provide a greater gift that will satisfy their spiritual needs. Let’s listen to this Gospel.

4. Invite one or more volunteers to read today’s Gospel, John 6:24–35.

5. Ask: What has Jesus already given the people? (He gave them food, loaves of bread and fish, so that they would not be hungry.) Are the people satisfied, or do they want something more? (They aren’t satisfied; they want more bread.)

6. Say: Jesus satisfied a basic physical need, but the people wanted more food. But Jesus tells them that he can give them something even more important than food; he can give them eternal life. What is the question the crowd asks next? (They ask what must they do to accomplish God’s work.) What does Jesus tell them? (that they will do what God wants when they believe in him) Then, Jesus says that he will give them the gift of himself, that he is the bread of life. This is the gift that Jesus has given to us in the Eucharist.

7. Say: When we celebrate the Eucharist, we are offering God our thanks because God provides for all of our needs, our basic physical needs and our spiritual needs.

8. Conclude in prayer, thanking God for all the wonderful gifts he has given to us, especially for the gift of the Eucharist. Pray together the Act of Faith, Act of Hope, and Act of Love.

Gospel Reading
John 6:24–35
Jesus teaches the crowds that he is the “bread of life.”

Family Connection

In today’s Gospel, the crowd asks Jesus for a sign so that they can believe that he has come from God. This is a curious request, because Jesus has just fed more than 5000 people with just five barley loaves and two fish. How quickly they seem to have forgotten the wonderful thing that Jesus has done for them. Or, maybe they never recognized the miracle in the first place. Sometimes we don’t recognize the wonderful things that God has done for us. And, sometimes, we simply forget and ask for further evidence of his love and care. We pray that God will remove our blindness so that we can receive with thanks and praise all the wonderful things that God accomplishes in our lives.

Together as a family, name the wonderful gifts that God has given you and some of the remarkable deeds that God has accomplished in our world. Observe that it is important to stop to count our blessings because we can easily miss recognizing all of the wonderful things that God does for us. Read together today’s Gospel, John 6:24–35. Ask: Why are the people seeking out Jesus? (because he has fed them) What do they want from Jesus? (a sign that he has come from God) What does Jesus tell them? (He says that he will give them something greater and more important than the bread that fed their physical hungers; he will give them bread that will give them eternal life.) Recall that we have this gift from Jesus in the Eucharist. Pray together, thanking God for all that he has given to us, especially for the gift of eternal life and the Eucharist. Pray together the Magnificat.