Drawn by the Bread, Led by the Shepherd (30-day Retreat Homily)

Sacred Heart Novitiate, May 2025 by João Francisco de Jesus Barreto SJ

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ear sisters and brothers, dear retreatants, we find ourselves this week immersed in one of the most beautiful and profound chapters of the Gospel—John 6, the Bread of Life discourse. Day after day, we walk alongside the crowds listening to Jesus, watching as He reveals more and more of Himself. At first, He appears simply as a wise teacher, a miracle worker, a healer—but gradually, His words open a deeper mystery: He is the living bread, the bread that comes down from heaven to give life to the world. Today, we hear Him say: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him… I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

What He offers is not ordinary food. This is divine nourishment, something meant to transform us from the inside out. Let me tell you a little story to bring this closer to heart.

Imagine God as a master chef, standing in a great kitchen, gathering ingredients. The word ingredient (ingredientium) itself comes from the Latin ingredī—“to go into, to advance, to undertake.” An ingredient enters a dish, and the moment it does, the whole is changed. You, dear retreatants, are like that dish. Inside you is a treasure trove of ingredients—your memories, your dreams, your regrets, your longings, your gifts, your wounds.

Every joy, every sorrow, every triumph, every failure—when placed in God’s hands—becomes part of His transforming work. Like a skilled chef, God knows exactly how to blend them, balance them, and bring out the best flavor, with patience, care, and perfect wisdom.

And then there’s the spiritual guide, aka spiritual sous-chef, the one walking beside you in this retreat. St Ignatius, in his Spiritual Exercises, reminds us that the guide’s role is not to control or interrogate the retreatant’s personal details or sins. Rather, the guide is like a sensitive kitchen assistant — watching attentively, listening carefully, noticing the subtle movements of grace in the pot, the simmering of love, the bubbles of sorrow, the sparks of joy.

But the guide knows: this is God’s work, not theirs. The guide must decrease, so that God’s wisdom, the primordial, irreplaceable ingredient, can increase, giving divine flavor and meaning to the retreatant’s experience.

Now, notice something beautiful: As we continue through these daily readings about the Bread of Life, we are being prepared for the coming Sunday—Good Shepherd Sunday. Do you see how the two images fit together? The Bread of Life and the Good Shepherd are not separate gifts—they are two expressions of the same divine love. One nourishes us from within; the other protects and guides us from without.

Jesus does not simply give us food—He gives us Himself: His body to feed us, His presence to shepherd us, His love to carry us when we are wounded. He feeds His flock, He calls each one by name, and He never stops searching for the lost, no matter how far they have strayed.

So, dear friends, as you continue this retreat, let yourself be drawn—drawn by the Father toward Christ, the Bread of Life; let yourself be led—led by the voice of the Good Shepherd, who calls you by name. 

You are not a passive receiver in this divine kitchen. Your life’s raw ingredients are already in God’s loving hands. Your spiritual movements are already under His careful watch. Your hunger is already pulling you to the table where He waits to feed His flock. This week, let the Bread of Life strengthen you.

This Sunday, let the voice of the Shepherd call you. Come, taste, and see—for whoever eats this bread will live forever. Amen. Fr JM Manzano SJ