One another, Sunday17B

July 28, 2024

2 Kings 4:42-44; Psalm 145 (144); Ephesians 4:1-6; John 6:1-15

Before we celebrate the sacrament of the Bread of Life, let us join our hearts in prayer for our human family:

That we may willingly and joyfully share our bread with the poor and hungry: let us pray to the Lord.

That Christian Churches and communities may celebrate their common identity in the “one Lord, on faith, one baptism”: let us pray to the Lord.

That families, tribes, peoples, and races may find unity, understanding, and trust in the “God and Father of all”: let us pray to the Lord.

That a spirit of justice and thanksgiving may guide the work of all farmers, food producers and transporters, economists and agriculturalists: let us pray to the lord.

That the poor, the homeless, and the forgotten may find places of welcome at our tables: let us pray to the Lord.

That those who have died in Christ [especially _________], may celebrate forever at the banquet of heaven: let us pray to the Lord.

That God will hear the prayers we now offer in the silence of our hearts [Pause...]: let us pray to the Lord.

Gracious God, Giver of every harvest, hear the prayers we make as we gather around our Eucharistic table. May the bread and wine of your Son’s Body and Blood make us bread of compassion and kindness and wine of gladness and hope for one another. We ask this in the name of Jesus, the Bread of Life.

References

-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2024bf, July 28). Seventeenth Sunday in ordinary time. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072824.cfm

-Cormier, J. (1995). Lord, Hear Our Prayer: Prayer of the Faithful for Sundays, Holy Days, and Ritual Masses.

The Word today, W17B

July 29 - August 03, 2024

Monday 29 July

Sts Martha, Mary and Lazarus

Jeremiah 13:1-11 From time to time the prophets use an illustration—a prophetic gesture—to get their message across. Today’s is quite dramatic!!

John 11:19-27 John’s symbolic narratives offer real human emotions, easy to connect to. The context here is loss and bereavement, known to us all. At the heart of the story is one of the seven great I AM sentences in John’s Gospel: challenging faith and offering consolation.

Tuesday 30 July

St Peter Chrysologus, bishop and doctor

Jeremiah 14:17-22 In the face of tragedy, today we hear a heart felt prayer, true at almost any time in human history. The person praying shows tremendous faith in God: O our God, you are our hope, since it is you who do all this.

Matthew 13:36-43 The parable of the darnel teaches patience and a certain non-interfering tolerance. In case this might lead to complacency (not much of risk these days!), the community developed this rather threatening interpretation.

Wednesday 31 July

St Ignatius Loyola, religious and priest

Jeremiah 15:10, 16-21 Jeremiah really did suffer for his calling as prophet. Not only had he difficult things to proclaim but he was personally treated very badly. In this passage, he brings his pain before the Lord.

Matthew 13:44-46 These two simply and direct parabolic sayings teach something we all know but lose sight of from time to time: discipleship “costs not less than everything.”

Thursday 01 August

St Alphonsus Mary de' Liguori, bishop, doctor

Jeremiah 18:1-6 Again, we have a prophetic gesture with a very clear message: Yes, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so you are in mine, House of Israel.

Matthew 13:47-53 The gospel of Matthew can be uncomfortable and today he does teach that there will be a judgment and a sorting at the end. It is, of course, not a literal description but an invitation not to lose the potential of the present moment.

Friday 02 August

St Eusebius of Vercelli, bishop

Jeremiah 26:1-9 The Lord entrusts a message to the people, to be proclaimed in the holiest place the Temple. Will people pay attention? The reaction is forthright.

Matthew 13:54-58 As we say, familiarity breeds contempt. Because they think they are utterly familiar with this neighbour of theirs, their minds are blinded. This can happen to us too in our piety—we may think we know this Jesus, but do we really?

Saturday 03 August

Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24 Continuing from yesterday, we hear the divided reaction to Jeremiah’s proclamation. Fortunately for him, he has a supporter and a protector.

Matthew 14:1-12 The death of John the Baptist is a sad, even absurd ending to a fiery career. It is reported Mark and Matthew, both of whom use it a warning about the cost of discipleship. It is omitted in Luke and John, probably to avoid any comparisons with the unique death of Jesus. We know a little more about it from Josephus, who writes: “Accordingly John was sent as a prisoner, out of Herod's suspicious temper, to Machaerus, the castle I already mentioned, and was put to death. Now the Jews thought that the destruction of his army was sent as a punishment upon Herod, and a mark of God’s displeasure with him.” (Jewish Antiquities 18).

References

-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2024bf, July 28). Seventeenth Sunday in ordinary time. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072824.cfm

-Sunday readings. (n.d.-s). Hearers of the Word. https://www.tarsus.ie/SundayReadings/

SOCL, Sunday17B

Sunday July 28, 2024

Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks and distributed them to those seated.

See

The multiplication of the loaves generates many levels of meaning, often deeply spiritual. At a more ordinary level, we see an anonymous boy with the bread and fish making available what little he had for the Lord to make use of them. Placing ourselves at his disposal, offering whatever gifts we have is all that is asked of each of us.

Listen

2 Kings 4:42-44; Psalm 145 (144); Ephesians 4:1-6; John 6:1-15

Reflect

(John 6:1-15)

-At the heart of this story we are told that Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks and distributed them. In our day this reminds us of the Eucharist, the bread of life with which Jesus feeds us. By sharing the bread and wine in the Eucharist we symbolize our unity with one another and with God. Can you recall a particular Eucharist that was especially nourishing for you. What was it that made it different?

-Take, give thanks, distribute. The actions of Jesus also suggest an attitude to time, gifts and living. We take what we are given, give thanks, and use what we have. Have you found that having a grateful heart for what you have been given has made it easier for you to share with others?

-From what seemed meagre and inadequate resources many were fed. When have you found that when you gratefully use what little resources you have the results are beyond your expectations?

-Jesus chose to involve those around him in feeding the people. Have there been times when you have experienced benefits from calling on those around you to use their gifts to help with a task?

Pray

O God, you open wide your hand, giving us food in due season. Out of your never-failing abundance, satisfy the hungers of body and soul and lead all peoples of the earth to the feast of the world to come. We make our prayer through your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

References

The Hand of the Lord Feeds Us