The Gospel for this weekend is a reading from John 6. It begins with verse 35, "Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.'" In those words, Jesus is making a statement about our relationship with him. The truth is that Jesus provides everything we need. To speak of himself as "the bread of life" is a clear connection to Holy Communion. Bread is basic to life, and every culture in the world seems to have some version of "bread" that is an integral part of their diet. In the sacrament of Holy Communion, we are fed by Jesus. In The Small Catechism, Martin Luther's explanation of the Sacrament of the Altar focuses on the words "for you" and "for the forgiveness of sins." This means that in life, there is nothing more basic than the need for forgiveness. We need to forgive and we need to be forgiven. In Jesus, we have it all. In Jesus, "the bread of life," we have everything we need. As Luther wrote, "where there is forgiveness of sin, there is also life and salvation." As we worship together this weekend, let us give thanks for the marvelous gift of "the bread of life." This is what life is all about!