Spiritually hangry

Spiritually hangry

John 6:35-40. I am the bread of life

The feeling of hunger plus anger (feeling “hangry”) is very powerful. These emotions seem to indicate that a person is in “survival mode”; the body and hormones signal to the mind the need to prioritize oneself first, to eat and to find a safe space. Our stomachs feel empty; our minds easily irritated at slight inconveniences. This is what being physically hangry means.

However, it’s harder to describe spiritual hunger plus anger. Is it that nagging void inside one’s head and heart? Is it that creeping anxiety that can lead to questioning and doubting God? Is it the feeling of languishing, drowning amidst a billion voices, feeling irrelevant? These experiences create a vicious cycle, like a child drowning in a quicksand.

It is in experiencing spiritual hangriness where we can appreciate simple yet encompassing principles of our faith: to love. That the other name of God is Love, and that Jesus is the Bread that can infinitely give a piece of Himself to commune with us. We’re invited to choose meaningful suffering as well as meaningful celebrations; but beyond the thorny crowns and heavy crosses we’re supposed to grit through, we can take comfort in the fact that the default of life is love.

And maybe, love can nourish the spiritually hangry.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 124: MAY 4, 2022]