The Food We Didn’t Know We Needed
John 4:5-42 (esp. vv. 32-34); John 6 (The Feeding of the 5,000)
Oops!
It was noon at Jacob’s well. The disciples had gone into town to purchase food, and upon returning, they urged Jesus to eat. But He surprised them with His response: “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”
The disciples exchanged confused glances. “Did someone else bring Him something while we were gone?” They thought they were taking care of their Master, providing what He needed. And yet, there He sat, already filled.
How often do we find ourselves in the disciples’ position? We pursue things we believe will satisfy us—a new job, a comfortable home, relationships, achievements, even religious practices—only to discover a lingering emptiness that these things cannot fill. We mistake what truly nourishes the soul.
We live in a world consumed by hunger. Not just physical hunger, but deep spiritual, emotional, and existential hunger that gnaws at our very being. And like the disciples, we often misdiagnose what we actually need.
Ugh!
Jesus reveals the source of His nourishment: “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to complete his work.” This sustains Him more than bread and fish ever could.
But let us be honest with ourselves—this is not what we naturally crave. We desire things we can grasp, consume, and control. Even in our spiritual lives, we often want the feeling of fullness without the commitment of a filled life. We seek the bread but shy away from the mission. We long for spiritual satisfaction without embracing the transformation it requires.
Consider John 6, where the crowd who had witnessed the miracle of the loaves and fishes pursued Jesus across the lake. Why did they follow? Jesus spoke plainly to them: “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.”
Are we any different? We come to God seeking solutions to our problems. We want blessings and comfort. But Christ continually redirects our focus: “Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.”
So what is this imperishable food that truly satisfies?
Aha!
Here we arrive at the profound truth: Jesus is not merely offering bread—He Himself is the bread of life. Not just in the Eucharistic sense, but in a living, breathing, all-encompassing way. To be nourished by Christ means to internalize His word, embrace His mission, and embody His life in our own.
Shortly after His encounter with the Samaritan woman, Jesus performs one of His most well-known miracles—the feeding of the five thousand. Great crowds had followed Him to a remote place, drawn by His healing and teaching. As evening approached, the disciples suggested sending the people away to find food. But Jesus had other plans.
Taking just five barley loaves and two small fish—a young boy’s modest lunch—Jesus gave thanks, broke the bread, and distributed it to the thousands gathered. Everyone ate until satisfied, and afterward, the disciples collected twelve baskets full of leftover pieces. This miracle so moved the crowd that they wanted to make Jesus king by force, recognizing Him as the Prophet who was to come into the world.
This miracle of the five loaves and two fish in John 6 is more than a story about feeding folks with bread and fish. It’s a living parable:
- The five loaves represent the Torah—God’s life-giving Word. Through originally given through Moses, it’s now given through Christ as the gospel to feed the world.
- The two fish symbolize the two peoples—Judeans and Gentiles—whom God desires to unite in one body as the Church.
- The twelve baskets of fragments collected afterward point to the twelve apostles, who would soon be commissioned to gather what was scattered and feed the world with the good news of salvation.
Is this not precisely what unfolds with the Samaritan woman? She becomes a vessel of grace—a basket, if you will—gathering the people of her city and bringing them to the Living Water. Through her testimony, many Samaritans came to believe in Christ, crossing the ancient divide between Judean and Samaritan.
Whee!
“My food,” Jesus declares, “is to do the will of the one who sent me.” What transformation might we experience if this became our daily bread?
Look again at the Samaritan woman. She approached the well seeking water—a basic physical need. But she departed without her water jar. Why? Because she had discovered something infinitely better. She was filled, not with water, but with divine purpose.
She didn’t merely believe; she was moved to action. She shared her encounter. She bore witness to Christ. Her joy overflowed, and through her testimony, an entire community came to faith. She found nourishment, not in material food, but in doing God’s will—just as Jesus did.
This is not a burden laid upon our shoulders but a wellspring of joy within our hearts. It is the kind of nourishment that does not deplete but rather energizes the soul.
Yeah!
Now we understand: true nourishment isn’t about accumulation but distribution. Not about consumption but commission. Not about what we receive but what flows through us to others.
We are the disciples who initially misunderstood but now comprehend the deeper reality. We are the baskets filled with gospel life, meant to carry that life to others. We are the Samaritan woman who leaves behind her earthly vessel to bring others to the Living Water.
Christ doesn’t simply want to feed us; He desires to feed others through us. When we align ourselves with His will and purpose, we discover a satisfaction that no earthly bread can provide.
So this week, I invite you to reflect: What am I truly feeding on? What is sustaining my soul? What would it mean for my daily nourishment to be found in doing the will of God? To not just believe the gospel but to live it and share it?
Brothers and sisters, leave your water jar behind. There is a thirsty world waiting to be introduced to the Water of Life.
Amen.