The first reading for Sunday (Exodus) shows the second-most whiny people in history. After us, of course. We have earned the crown, and we will not be easily cast from our throne.

Just when God’s people are at their least loveable (having added ungrateful to whiny), God loves them. God shows His love by giving them more than they asked for. In a way that they never could have imagined.

Which is the perfect lead-in, on a lot of different levels, for the Gospel.

Sunday’s Gospel (John) is the first of four Sundays that focus in on some of the hardest stuff in John - the bread of life discourse. Where Jesus calls Himself the bread of life. And then (in the weeks that follow) explains just what that means.

The reading from Exodus? It’s the key to this series of Gospels. God loving us at our least loveable. Giving us more than we asked for, in a way that we never could have imagined.

Readings for Sunday: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/080215.cfm