Gospel (Jn 6,35-40) - At that time, Jesus said to the crowd: «I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will not be hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty! But I told you that you have seen me, and yet you do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me: he who comes to me I will not cast out, for I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me: that I should not lose anything of what he has given me, but that he should raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father: that whoever sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life; and I will raise him up on the last day."

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

Today's Gospel takes up the final phrase of the Gospel passage heard yesterday. It is a statement that recalls those of the Old Testament which speak of the messianic banquet prepared by the Lord for his people: "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never be hungry again and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty! ". Finally, God's promise was fulfilled. Jesus also responded to the hunger for salvation hidden in the hearts of men: hunger for meaning, hunger for a life that does not end with death and which leads to full happiness. Jesus was the answer that came from heaven, and everyone could welcome it and make it their own. But Jesus notes with bitterness that many, despite seeing the signs he did, did not open their hearts to welcome his word. Yet he "rejected no one": "He that comes to me, I will not cast out." Even just a little willingness on our part is enough for the miracle to happen. Let's think about the five barley loaves that were enough to multiply them by five thousand people. Anyone who approached Jesus was welcomed: it was enough to knock, even faintly, to receive an answer. Hadn't he said on other occasions to the crowds that followed him: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest"? After all, he had come down from heaven for this very reason: that is, to do the will of the Father who had sent him. And the Father's will was clear: not to lose any of those he had entrusted to him. His mission was to gather everyone into one fold. This is why elsewhere he says: "I am the good shepherd". He had come to gather the missing and lead them into the kingdom. The commitment to saving without losing anyone is the continuous effort of the Lord Jesus. And, in the parable of the lost sheep, he describes not only his passion for even just one sheep, but also his willingness to run dangers and travel rough paths to save it. This is Jesus' constant concern. And he wants this concern to be repeated over the centuries through the Church. Yes, the Church, every Christian community, must first and foremost feel the passion to save all men. Pope Francis calls us to this passion. And there is no doubt that missionary anxiety must be much more evident in our times and involve all Christians. Unfortunately we are often so closed in on ourselves that we do not feel the missionary urgency. But this distances us from Jesus and his desire to free the world from the slavery of evil. It is urgent to let ourselves be increasingly involved in the same passion that drove Jesus to walk the streets and squares of his time. The words of Jesus that we heard in this evangelical passage show us clearly what God's will is and how to carry it out on earth: "that whoever sees the Son and believes in him has eternal life; and I will raise him up on the last day ". It is a promise that is realized in ourselves precisely as we spend our lives for the Lord and for others. Just like Jesus did.