Remembering Aunt Beby. I grew up in Panama, a small country in Central America. My aunt Gladys, whom we all called “Aunt Beby” lived in Oklahoma. Once or twice a year, she would travel to Panama to visit my grandmother and all of us. When my father said that Aunt Beby was coming, I volunteered to go with him to the airport every single time. I did not mind enduring the 45 minutes ride (traffic in Panama has the capacity to lengthen very short distances!), the late hours (for some reason she always arrived late at night) and the long wait at the airport.
As soon as she came out of the gate, I would give her a big hug. I’d carry her luggage, and told her how happy we were that she was back in Panama. Once we got to my grandma’s house, I would bring her luggage all the way to her bedroom. I put myself at her disposition for whatever she needed during her stay in Panama. Then she would ask me, kind of sensing my ulterior intentions, “Do you want to get what I brought you now? Or, you do you want come for it tomorrow?” I always said, “I can take it now, if it is ok with you.”
Reflections
Don’t get me wrong, I loved my Aunt Beby, and I was happy that she was back to visit. We would spend great moments with her and enjoy her delicious cooking. However, I must admit that the first thing I thought when I heard she was coming was that she was going to bring me something awesome from the USA. It was usually clothes that had not made it to Panama yet, which made me stand out before my friends! Indeed, in my materialistic and utilitarian mentality, I cared as much or maybe more for what she brought me than for herself. I believe this story of my life reflects the message of today’s gospel.
Do We See Jesus as a Piggy Bank for Gifts?
The crowd has witnessed Jesus multiplying the bread and feeding them abundantly. Then he leaves and, obviously, they go after him. However, when they find him, just like my aunt Beby, the Lord realizes their ulterior intentions. He says to them, “you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled.” In other words, the Lord knows the people are looking not for Him, but for what He can do to solve their immediate needs. Thus, taking advantage of this moment. He exhorts them to look not just for “the food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life.”
In other words, the Lord invites them not to look for Him just because he can solve the immediate problems and needs, but to look for Him because He can give them eternal life. He invites them to transcend themselves. And to see that their needs are not just the ones of this present life, but more importantly the ones that are projected to eternity. He, “the Son of Man,” can satisfy them.
The True Gift of Eternal Life in Heaven
We are called to conversion and to rectify our intentions as disciples of the Lord. If we are sincere, we will discover that many times we have the same attitude as the crowd in the gospel. We look for Jesus not because we want a relationship with Him, or because we know He can give us eternal life. Instead, we relate to Him as though He was the genie of the lamp. We expect him to give us what we ask for. We expect Him to solve our immediate needs. And, to help us with our problems, to provide for us, and to take care of the list of things we present to him. Certainly, the Lord is more than willing to give us all this. He miraculously provided for the crowd and fed them abundantly.
However, in today’s gospel, He exhorts us to expand our expectations of Him. He invites us to look for Him primarily because He is the only one who can satisfy our real and most essential need. The need of knowing that eternal life exists, that our hope for heaven is guaranteed. And that our longing for a life in which suffering, problems and difficulties have a meaning are satisfied in Him. He, who has come to offer us His very life. Let us ask the Lord to help us become true disciples. Ak to have a personal relationship with Him, so that already here on earth we may enjoy the joys and the peace of heaven!
Father Justino- I love reading your monthly Reflections especially because you always talk about your life experiences and how the Gospel resonates with you. Thank you.