September 30

Lord, evermore give us this bread. — JOHN vi. 34.

I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. — JOHN vi. 48, 49.

A THOUSAND desires may be refused us, but bread we must have. We can do without a thousand things which we regard as necessities, and yet live: but deny us bread and we die. The need is universal and universally confessed, and to supply it the world has become a very bee-hive for industry. But Jesus here reminds us that there is a bread which we need more than this, — namely, the "Bread of life." — which will sustain us when we have done eating the bread of earth. Bread sustains and strengthens the body; but Christ sustains and strengthens the soul. Who but Christ can sustain us when temptations strong beset us? Who but Christ can strengthen us when trials and misfortunes befall us? These are the experiences which make us cry out, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." Besides, bread is good: manna must have been better, for it fell from heaven: but Jesus is the best bread. Even those who ate manna died: but he who eats the bread which Jesus gives shall never die. "Lord, evermore give us this bread."

A.H. Crosbie.

O Bread to pilgrims given,

O Food that angels eat.

O Manna sent from heaven.

For heaven-born natures meet,

Give us, for thee long pining,

To eat till richly filled.

Till, earth's delights resigning,

Our every wish is stilled.

THOMAS AQUINAS (translated by Ray Palmer).