By Gayle Somers, Catholic Exchange, Oct. 31, 2025
Gayle Somers is a member of St. Thomas the Apostle parish in Phoenix and has been writing and leading parish Bible studies since 1996. She is the author of three bible studies, Galatians: A New Kind of Freedom Defended (Basilica Press), Genesis: God and His Creation, and Genesis: God and His Family (Emmaus Road Publishing). Her latest book, Whispers of Mary: What Twelve Old Testament Women Teach Us
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus describes the purpose that God the Father had in sending Him to us. What was it?
Gospel: Read Jn. 6:37-40
On the Feast of All Souls, when we remember with love all those who have died, the Church gives us a reading taken from the Bread of Life discourse in St. John’s Gospel (Jn. 6:22-71). The context is familiar, then, as we hear portions of it throughout the liturgical year. It’s best known for its teaching on Jesus giving His own Flesh and Blood for the life of the world, the food and drink of our salvation; however, there are other teachings in this great passage that deserve our attention, and the Church presents us with one of them now. When we understand it, our celebration of the Feast of All Souls will be wonderfully enriched.
The setting for this Sunday’s reading is the discussion Jesus had with people who sought Him out after His miraculous feeding of the five thousand from five loaves of bread and two fish. They were eager for more—more food, more miracles, more time with Jesus. As He began teaching them, however, some of those present found His words difficult to understand and/or accept. There were lots of questions, objections, and murmurings among them. Finally, when He boldly announced that to be saved, to have eternal life, they would have to eat His Flesh and drink His Blood, they’d had enough. They didn’t want to hear any more of this, so “many of his disciples drew back and no longer followed him” (Jn. 6:66). …
