Why not just feed us more bread?

After Jesus fed the multitude through multiplying the bread and fishes, they sought him the next day and expected him to give them more food. As I read this morning, I pictured the multitude leaving their homes and going to find Jesus across the sea the next morning. I could envision them saying "Don't worry about packing any food, he'll feed us!" But when they got to him and asked for him to do his mighty works, not-so-subtly asking for him to give them bread again and even reminding him of Moses and how he gave bread daily to the Israelites, he told them that HE was the bread. They were very disappointed, they were probably hungry! Why wouldn't he just feed them again? They thought that was what they needed. But Jesus knew what they really needed, and it wasn't free food. They needed HIM.

When he explained that HE was the bread of life, and they needed to eat his flesh and drink his blood in order to never hunger or thirst again, they were offended. I'm sure that sounded absolutely wrong  and went against everything they knew. What in the world was he talking about? That would be an abomination! Many followers left him then. They couldn't get past their limited perception of who he was and what they understood. But the disciples had the faith to stay, even though they didn't understand exactly what he was teaching. They trusted him. Of course we know now that Jesus was talking about taking the sacrament, not literally eating his flesh and blood, but they didn't know that then! But they knew what they knew, they knew what they had seen and felt, and they chose to doubt their doubts before doubting their faith.

I want to remember this story when I think about things in the gospel or our church history that I don't understand. I want to trust that Christ knows what he is doing and knows what he is talking about, even though it doesn't make sense to my mortal mind. I love that the Come Follow Me Manual is helping me to really dig into the stories of Christ's life and apply them to my life today.