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Introduction
The world we live in is a world that encourages people to be self-reliant, self-sufficient and independent; it is a world that wants people to be in control of their lives and in complete defiance to God’s rules and authority. But contrary to what the world wants us to believe, whatever men undertake, they can never be in control – neither of their own lives nor of anything else in the universe. For God is in control of everything, and we are in essence insufficient and powerless beings – “In [God’s] hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind” (Job 12:10). It is therefore madness to seek to be autonomous; it is utter foolishness to put God to the side. No creature, in heaven and on earth, is capable of ensuring its persistence, and man is no exception. We all need God – the One who alone is self-sufficient, independent and all-powerful – to sustain us daily, hourly, and moment by moment. We cannot fare without the Lord our God; for He alone can ensure our persistence, both physical and spiritual. He is our sustenance.
However, because of the sinfulness of the sons of men, their hunger is essentially centered on the wrong object. They have an excessive appetite for physical and temporal pleasures, and are always governed by the desire to ensure the welfare of their bodies. It is the nature of men to worry about what they will eat, what they will drink, what they will wear – and for the wealthy – where they will spend their next vacation, what new car or home they will buy, how to stay healthy and young, and so forth. Therefore many work so hard, getting up early in the morning and going to bed late, because they want to gather as much wealth as possible to ensure all their desires are met. Moreover, those who are greedy for dishonest gain indulge in sinful activities in order to increase their wealth. They oppress and plunder the poor, they cheat and steal, they shed blood and destroy lives, in order to multiply their riches, because they think one’s life consists in the abundance of his possessions. They live as if they were made for things and pleasures, always chasing after health, wealth and prosperity. They pursue temporal stuff, things that perish, and do not seek Him for Whom they were created and who alone is their sustenance.
The Bread of Life rejected by men
The Infinite Preciousness and Supremacy of the Bread of Life
The utter dependency of all things on the Bread of Life