In the words of today s Gospel, one must be taught by God, or as Jesus said, Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him will come to me. It is apparent that what one needs to learn will not be found in books. If we are to be taught by God, we must spend time in his presence. Prayer, meditation, reflection - these will be the resources for learning from God. I am the bread of life, Jesus said.
Bread is that which makes life possible.
But we do not live by bread alone. For the Gospel of John, Jesus is the life-giving Word of God. You probably see it as a compassionate and miraculous response to hungry people. Jesus is much more than the son of Joseph and Mary, much more than a rabbi who taught people about God and his purposes, much more than the source of a free meal. He is the Bread that comes down heaven, the Word of God who proceeds from God, the one who makes possible not only life, but life eternal.