Jesus' declaration that He was the living bread come down from heaven and the source of eternal life proved too much for some of His followers. They could not believe in such claim and started to drift away. This was unacceptable language and they were no longer prepared to walk with Him. Neither surprised nor disappointed at their reaction, Jesus did not take back anything He said nor try to make His teaching more acceptable. It was the parting of ways. He turned to his disciples and said: "Will you also walk away?” This was a moment of crisis. What Jesus was demanding of them was not understanding, but faith in Him. There was no way they could avoid making a choice of being for or against Jesus. Peter said for everyone: “Lord where else shall we go? You have the message of eternal life and we believe."

There are times when the monotony of daily living and the grind of dull routine sap all our energy. It results usually in a weakening of our conviction that the Lord is present and at work in our lives. We may even go so far as to doubt the possibility of a hereafter. At such moments we are crying out for the kind of reassurance and comfort that this feast day brings, for in contrast to such despair, Mary’s Assumption helps lift our minds and hearts above the gloom of the situation we are in. It reminds us of our final homecoming by assuring us that there is another dimension to our existence and death has not the final say.

Jesus speaks in a very challenging manner when he states not to worry about life. There is that constant danger of becoming immersed in the affairs of the world. There is the risk we take when we spend too much time in the pursuit of worldly goods. The problem facing us is that the world we live in encourages us to set our hearts on acquiring more and more and to seek security in possessions. It so easily becomes a vicious circle because the more we have the more we want. A time will come when everything we own and cherish dearly will have to be left behind. Hence, we worry about life.

The crowd came a long way to hear Jesus and now find themselves in a deserted area without food. Jesus in his compassion inquires about the food supply on hand and finds all that is available is five barley loaves and two fishes in the possession of a boy. The boy must be shocked when asked to give up all that he has and part with his only food. However, his sacrifice is well rewarded when he sees Jesus feed the multitude with the food he provided. What is given to Jesus as a sacrifice is given back by him totally transformed. The crowd is fed, symbolising that Jesus has come to give life to all people.

Lockdown 5.0. We're already used to this word and know what to do. It has become a part of our lives now, our new normal. Interestingly the gospel speaks of the importance of finding a quiet spot in our lives where we can be alone with Christ in prayer. Like Christ we need to take a moment to get away at times from constant calls upon us and from the pressures that bear down on us to listen to the healing voice of God and refresh ourselves spiritually. God's voice is heard best in moments of stillness.

As we Victorians endure another lockdown, let us take this opportunity to pause and reflect on the feast of Corpus Christi as instituted to focus special attention on the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. It is a celebration of the generosity of the Lord to us, in offering himself as food to satisfy our spiritual and material hunger as we journey through life. Let us consider the great miracle of God's presence among us. All of us are people on a journey facing the trials and sufferings of everyday happenings. What better companion can we have for support than the presence of Jesus?

On the occasion of Pentecost, Archbishop Comensoli has written a Pastoral Letter entitled, "Take the Way of the Gospel", which invites the Church in Melbourne into a conversation on how we might come together and discern our common mission for the years ahead.