Jesus spoke to the crowds about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those who needed to be cured. As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said, “Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.”

He said to them, “Give them some food yourselves.” They replied, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people.” Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty.”

They did so and made them all sit down. Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets.

Nowadays, everyone is in search of the healthiest food there is. This is after feeling the effects of a carefree attitude of eating the most delicious food there is, even if they are actually harmful or unhealthy.

There is an increasing pursuit of plant-based food, less red meat, or no meat altogether. More and more are rediscovering vegetables, especially those organically grown. Such a crusade is, of course, noble, considering how much we have been unmindful of what we ate in the past.

But should this concern for healthy food stop here on the material or physical plane? Is our whole life only physical? What about food for our soul? Are we equally concerned about how healthy it is, given the also equally numerous “alternative” food that are placed before us, especially through social media?

The solemnity of Corpus Christi or the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ invites us to reflect on its meaning and significance for our lives. For us, Christians, Jesus’ body and blood are our spiritual food, that which nourishes and sustains us spiritually.

Of course, we are also nourished by other spiritual realities like the Word of God, the consolations we experience, the graces we receive; but it is in the Eucharist where we are fed with the most extraordinary food of all: Christ’s own body and blood.

In this food is contained all that is necessary for our health and eternal salvation. That is why it is also called the “bread of angels.” Thus, going to Mass, or participating regularly in the Eucharist, means nourishing our souls with the most blessed food. By it, our journey in life is secure and certain: no hunger or thirst will overtake us on the way.

Every time we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we also continually proclaim what he has done for us: giving his life for our salvation. And so, we make it our aim to frequent the Eucharist, prepare for it, not arriving late, but well prepared not so much externally but inwardly.

It is edifying to see how our churches are still overflowing with Mass participants, each one trying to nourish herself or himself with Jesus. It is also equally edifying to see parents bringing along with them the whole family, as much as possible.

In so doing, we are assured that the whole family is nourished spiritually. This is particularly imperative nowadays when other “foods” are vying for our attention as we are almost all succumbing to the lure of social media and other technological attractions.

What kind of food do we give ourselves if most of the time our eyes are glued on our cellphones or gadgets? How do we expect our spiritual lives to grow and flourish when all that we take in is what satisfies or fills the senses?