1ST READING
Miracles such as this can not be explained scientifically. What is important here is not the miracle itself but what it indicates about both the one who performs it and the God who empowers it. God chooses to intervene in human history every now and then to remind us that He is present in our lives and to call us to deeper conversion to Him.
2 Kings 4:42-44
42 A man came from Baal-shalishah bringing to Elisha, the man of God twenty barely loaves made from the firstfruits, and fresh grain in the ear. Elisha said, “Give it to the people to eat.” 43 But his servant objected, “How can I set this before a hundred people?” Elisha insisted, “Give it to the people to eat.” For thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and there shall be some left over.’” 44 And when they had eaten, there was some left over, as the Lord had said.
P S A L M
Psalm 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18
R: The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
10 Let all your works give you thanks, O Lord, and let your faithful ones bless you. 11 Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might. (R) 15 The eyes of all look hopefully to you, and you give them their food in due season; 16 you open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. (R) 17 The Lord is just in all his ways and holy in all his works. 18 The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth. (R)
2ND READING
Paul uses the language of ”complete selflessness.“ This is indeed a great challenge to us who are more self-focused than otherwise. The Gospels are quite clear that to enter into heaven, we have to learn to die to our own desires and be fully surrendered to God’s will. In obedience to God’s will, we will discover the fullness of life. It may take time for us to realize this truth.
Ephesians 4:1-6
1 Brothers and sisters: I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, 3 striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: 4 one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
GOSPEL
The feeding miracle precedes the Eucharistic discourse in John’s Gospel. Perhaps John is trying to tell us that just as food nourishes us physically, it is the Eucharist and the things of the Spirit that nourish our souls. I wonder if we really believe this? If we do not, we will find it next to impossible to understand the central role of the Eucharist in our lives.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
A great prophet has risen in our midst. God has visited his people.
John 6:1-15
1 Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. 2 A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish feast of Passover was near. 5 When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” 6 He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. 12 When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” 13 So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. 14 When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” 15 Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.
think: It is the Eucharist and the things of the Spirit that nourish our souls.
T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________
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God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Esther 8-F
SABBATH PAUSE
My weekly time with God
THANK YOU LIST
Things to be grateful for from the past week
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SPECIAL NEEDS
Things to ask God for in the coming week
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HIDDEN TREASURE
Most important word God told me this week
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