During Eastertide, it may seem somewhat less than appropriate to recite part of Psalm 119, a great hymn of praise for the Law and the commandments. After all, at least according to St Paul's vision, Jesus died and rose from the dead to set us free from the Law and establish our lives under grace.

In the Gospel, Jesus criticizes the Jews, saying that they are seeking him, not because they had seen signs but because they had enough bread to eat and he challenges them to look for the food that remains unto life eternal.

The signs that Jesus refers to were his own miracles especially, in the context of John 6, the Multiplication of the loaves and the other "signs" recounted already by John. We may extend the reference to every sign that God has given us of his mercy and love. When Jesus says they did not see the signs, he is not referring to mere experience but to that understanding of the signs which would lead to faith in him.

The Law and the Old Testament as a whole were some of the signs of grace and mercy that God communicated to Israel and still communicates to us today, if only we had the wisdom to contemplate God's presence in all his words and deeds.