Not surprisingly in the weeks following the end of WWII the orphans and dislocated children in refugee camps had difficulties sleeping. After trying several remedies, the adults finally discovered that if after the children were fed dinner, if they gave each of them a piece of bread to hold in their hand, they would drift off. As the great author Annie Lamont writes in telling this story, “Holding the bread reminded them and connected them to the great truth — that morning would come, that there were grown-ups who cared and were watching over them, that there would be more food when they awoke.”

This is the message that we need to take away from today’s gospel. It is ok to feel uneasy with the goings on in the world around us, but the remedy is to keep Jesus close. Only He can provide a nourishment that satisfies our deepest hungers. He is the bread of life.

We will rest easier when we surrender to his love and grace. This connects us to the great truth — life is better when we let God watch over us. Eternal salvation is ours when we allow ourselves to wake up and accept His unending love for us.