Mass Reading: Sunday - 01st September 2024

 

First reading
Deuteronomy 4:1-2,6-8
Observe these laws and customs, that you may have life

    Moses said to the people: ‘Now, Israel, take notice of the laws and customs that I teach you today, and observe them, that you may have life and may enter and take possession of the land that the Lord the God of your fathers is giving you. You must add nothing to what I command you, and take nothing from it, but keep the commandments of the Lord your God just as I lay them down for you. Keep them, observe them, and they will demonstrate to the peoples your wisdom and understanding. When they come to know of all these laws they will exclaim, “No other people is as wise and prudent as this great nation.” And indeed, what great nation is there that has its gods so near as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call to him? And what great nation is there that has laws and customs to match this whole Law that I put before you today?’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 14(15):2-5

The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain?
He who walks without fault;
he who acts with justice
and speaks the truth from his heart;
he who does not slander with his tongue.

The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

He who does no wrong to his brother,
who casts no slur on his neighbour,
who holds the godless in disdain,
but honours those who fear the Lord.

The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

He who keeps his pledge, come what may;
who takes no interest on a loan
and accepts no bribes against the innocent.
Such a man will stand firm for ever.

The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

________

Second reading
James 1:17-18,21-22,27
Accept and submit to the word

    It is all that is good, everything that is perfect, which is given us from above; it comes down from the Father of all light; with him there is no such thing as alteration, no shadow of a change. By his own choice he made us his children by the message of the truth so that we should be a sort of first-fruits of all that he had created. 

    Accept and submit to the word which has been planted in you and can save your souls. But you must do what the word tells you, and not just listen to it and deceive yourselves.

    Pure, un-spoilt religion, in the eyes of God our Father is this: coming to the help of orphans and widows when they need it, and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
cf.Jn6:63,68

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life;
you have the message of eternal life.

Alleluia!

Or:
James1:18

Alleluia, alleluia!

By his own choice the Father made us his children
by the message of the truth,
so that we should be a sort of first-fruits
of all that he created.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23
You put aside the commandment of God, to cling to human traditions

    The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus, and they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. For the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, follow the tradition of the elders and never eat without washing their arms as far as the elbow; and on returning from the market place they never eat without first sprinkling themselves. There are also many other observances which have been handed down to them concerning the washing of cups and pots and bronze dishes. So these Pharisees and scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the elders but eat their food with unclean hands?’ He answered, ‘It was of you hypocrites that Isaiah so rightly prophesied in this passage of scripture:

    This people honours me only with lip-service,
while their hearts are far from me.
The worship they offer me is worthless,
the doctrines they teach are only human regulations.

    You put aside the commandment of God to cling to human traditions.’ He called the people to him again and said, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that goes into a man from outside can make him unclean; it is the things that come out of a man that make him unclean. For it is from within, from men’s hearts, that evil intentions emerge: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

 

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 01st September 2024

 

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
DT 4:1-2, 6-8; PS 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5; JAS 1:17-18, 21B-22, 27; MK 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Our readings today call us to pause for a moment and consider how we respond to God’s love for us each day.

Our Gospel recounts a dialogue between the Pharisees and Jesus. The Pharisees questioned why Jesus’ disciples did not practice the ritual washing before eating a meal.

Jesus simply responded by quoting scripture, “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.”

The Pharisees were good at doing what they were supposed to. They knew all the traditions and customs, ensured they followed them, and ensured that it would be made known if someone else did not follow them.

Jesus’ response reminds us to ask ourselves ‘why.’ Why do we remain faithful to God’s commands? Why do we pray or go to Mass? Why do we participate in the sacraments? Why do we love others?

Do we do these things because we know we ‘should’ or because we are afraid of what might happen if we do not? Are we just checking boxes? Or do we do these things out of love for our Good and Gracious Giver?

Oftentimes we are living our faith a certain way out of obligation, fear, or duty. But Jesus reminds us that the greatest way to live out our faith is through love. Our faith has obligations to provide us opportunities to love, honor, and praise the Lord. They are meant to aid us on our personal journey with Jesus Christ. And we are called to not go through the motions by “honoring God with our lips” only, but with our whole hearts.

St. James reminds us in our second reading how to do just that, as he says, “All good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” He reminds us that every moment of each day is an opportunity to respond to God’s infinite love for us with love and gratitude in return.

If we approach our relationship with Jesus with this in mind, then we begin to realize that the gift of the Mass is an opportunity to worship God, the sacraments are ways to draw us closer to Him and His commandments are opportunities to love Him more faithfully.

And if we approach our day-to-day moments with this in mind, then we begin to see just how many blessings God has given us. Looking at life through the lens of gratitude helps us to see each moment as a gift with endless opportunities to respond in love.

It begins by rising each day with a prayer of thanksgiving, offering our daily tasks as a prayer to the Lord, seeking ways to share our gifts and talents with others, saying a prayer of thanksgiving before meals, sharing words of affirmation to a loved, or taking time to reflect on how much God loves us and how we can best love Him in return.

This is how we ought to live our lives as Christian stewards — by recognizing our lives as a gift and an opportunity to love God in response to how He has loved us.

So let us look inward at our hearts and ask ourselves why we live our faith the way we do. Let us strive to pray with meaning, attend Mass with attention, serve others out of love for God and recognize just how blessed we are. It is in these simple moments that we love extraordinarily and honor God wholeheartedly.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 25th August 2024

First reading
Joshua 24:1-2,15-18
We will serve the Lord, for he is our God

    Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel together at Shechem; then he called the elders, leaders, judges and scribes of Israel, and they presented themselves before God. Then Joshua said to all the people, ‘If you will not serve the Lord, choose today whom you wish to serve, whether the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are now living. As for me and my House, we will serve the Lord.’

    The people answered, ‘We have no intention of deserting the Lord and serving other gods! Was it not the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors out of the land of Egypt, the house of slavery, who worked those great wonders before our eyes and preserved us all along the way we travelled and among all the peoples through whom we journeyed? What is more, the Lord drove all those peoples out before us, as well as the Amorites who used to live in this country. We too will serve the Lord, for he is our God.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 33(34):2-3,16-23

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

I will bless the Lord at all times,
    his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
    The humble shall hear and be glad.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

The Lord turns his face against the wicked
    to destroy their remembrance from the earth.
The Lord turns his eyes to the just
    and his ears to their appeal.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

They call and the Lord hears
    and rescues them in all their distress.
The Lord is close to the broken-hearted;
    those whose spirit is crushed he will save.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Many are the trials of the just man
    but from them all the Lord will rescue him.
He will keep guard over all his bones,
    not one of his bones shall be broken.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Evil brings death to the wicked;
    those who hate the good are doomed.
The Lord ransoms the souls of his servants.
    Those who hide in him shall not be condemned.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

________

Second reading
Ephesians 5:21-32
Christ loves the Church, because it is his body

    Give way to one another in obedience to Christ. Wives should regard their husbands as they regard the Lord, since as Christ is head of the Church and saves the whole body, so is a husband the head of his wife; and as the Church submits to Christ, so should wives to their husbands, in everything. Husbands should love their wives just as Christ loved the Church and sacrificed himself for her to make her holy. He made her clean by washing her in water with a form of words, so that when he took her to himself she would be glorious, with no speck or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and faultless. In the same way, husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies; for a man to love his wife is for him to love himself. A man never hates his own body, but he feeds it and looks after it; and that is the way Christ treats the Church, because it is his body – and we are its living parts. For this reason, a man must leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one body. This mystery has many implications; but I am saying it applies to Christ and the Church.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
cf.Jn6:63,68

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life;
you have the message of eternal life.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
John 6:60-69
Who shall we go to? You are the Holy One of God

    After hearing his doctrine many of the followers of Jesus said, ‘This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it?’ Jesus was aware that his followers were complaining about it and said, ‘Does this upset you? What if you should see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before?

‘It is the spirit that gives life,
the flesh has nothing to offer.
The words I have spoken to you are spirit
and they are life.

    ‘But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the outset those who did not believe, and who it was that would betray him. He went on, ‘This is why I told you that no one could come to me unless the Father allows him.’ After this, many of his disciples left him and stopped going with him.

    Then Jesus said to the Twelve, ‘What about you, do you want to go away too?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘Lord, who shall we go to? You have the message of eternal life, and we believe; we know that you are the Holy One of God.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 25th August 2024

 

JOS 24:1-2A, 15-17, 18B; PS 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21; EPH 5:21-32 OR 5:2A, 25-32; JN 6:60-69

Jesus said to the crowd, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.” Their response? Shock and indignation. We can hardly blame them for this reaction — eating the Flesh and drinking the Blood of our Lord should cause us a bit of a shock. Yet, how easy it is for us modern-day Catholics to show up at Mass Sunday after Sunday, receiving the Eucharist as simply part of a weekly routine.

If we really spent time praying and contemplating the gift our Lord is offering us in this sacrament, we would be awestruck at the love and power in this gift. Through it, our Lord is giving us the very best He has to give — Himself. In his gift of the Eucharist, He has held back nothing, giving us literally everything he has to give, His very Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. Not even the greatest theological scholar or the holiest of saints can fully understand this mystery.

Thankfully, the first reading comes as a wonderful consolation to us “ordinary folks.” It says, “Let whoever is simple turn in here; to the one who lacks understanding… come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.”

St. Paul delivers a similar message in our second reading, instructing, “Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, making the most of the opportunity because the days are evil.” So, we don’t need to be saints or scholars in order to receive this sublime gift. But we should do our best to receive the Eucharist with gratitude. And we can look to today’s readings to glean two fundamental principles to become better Christian stewards.

First, the Eucharist is the foundation for a stewardship way of life. Through His gift of the Eucharist, God fills us with His love and strength. This love and strength empower us to live as generous stewards — to be faithful to the ministries in which we serve, to step beyond our comfort zone in material giving, and to offer our very best to our families and secular work.

Second, the Eucharist is our ultimate inspiration for a stewardship way of life. When we really think about what we receive in this gift — God Himself — we will want to make a joyful return to Him by the way we live our lives! The more that we deepen our understanding of this sacrament through study of the Church’s teachings on the Eucharist, the more we will want to live our lives as grateful, generous and joy-filled stewards.

As the book of Proverbs and the great St. Paul remind us, let us not live foolishly, but make the most of our time — during Mass and adoration — by giving the Lord all our attention and devotion in these moments. Let us form ourselves by studying what the Catechism and spiritual writers must teach us about the Eucharist. Then, coming to Mass each week will be anything but routine.

And in return for this unfathomable gift of our Lord Himself, let us live intentionally and passionately as His disciples every day of our lives.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 18th August 2024

First reading
Proverbs 9:1-6
Wisdom builds her house and invites all to eat her bread there

Wisdom has built herself a house,
    she has erected her seven pillars,
she has slaughtered her beasts, prepared her wine,
    she has laid her table.
She has despatched her maidservants
    and proclaimed from the city’s heights:
‘Who is ignorant? Let him step this way.’
    To the fool she says,
‘Come and eat my bread,
    drink the wine I have prepared!
Leave your folly and you will live,
    walk in the ways of perception.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 33(34):2-3,10-15

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

I will bless the Lord at all times,
    his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
    The humble shall hear and be glad.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Revere the Lord, you his saints.
    They lack nothing, those who revere him.
Strong lions suffer want and go hungry
    but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Come, children, and hear me
    that I may teach you the fear of the Lord.
Who is he who longs for life
    and many days, to enjoy his prosperity?

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Then keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn aside from evil and do good;
    seek and strive after peace.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

________

Second reading
Ephesians 5:15-20
Be filled not with wine, but with the Spirit

    Be very careful about the sort of lives you lead, like intelligent and not like senseless people. This may be a wicked age, but you redeem it. And do not be thoughtless but recognise what is the will of the Lord. Do not drug yourselves with wine, this is simply dissipation; be filled with the Spirit. Sing the words and tunes of the psalms and hymns when you are together, and go on singing and chanting to the Lord in your hearts, so that always and everywhere you are giving thanks to God who is our Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn1:14,12

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Word was made flesh and lived among us:
to all who did accept him 
he gave power to become children of God.

Alleluia!

Or:
Jn6:56

Alleluia, alleluia!

He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood
lives in me, and I live in him,
says the Lord.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
John 6:51-58
My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink

Jesus said to the crowd:

‘I am the living bread which has come down from heaven.
Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever;
and the bread that I shall give is my flesh,
for the life of the world.’

Then the Jews started arguing with one another: ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ they said. Jesus replied:

‘I tell you most solemnly,
if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you will not have life in you.
Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood
has eternal life,
and I shall raise him up on the last day.
For my flesh is real food
and my blood is real drink.
He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood
lives in me
and I live in him.
As I, who am sent by the living Father,
myself draw life from the Father,
so whoever eats me will draw life from me.
This is the bread come down from heaven;
not like the bread our ancestors ate:
they are dead,
but anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 18th August 2024

 

Prov 9:1-619; Ps 34; Eph 5:15-20; Jn 6:51-58

Jesus said to the crowd, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.” Their response? Shock and indignation. We can hardly blame them for this reaction — eating the Flesh and drinking the Blood of our Lord should cause us a bit of a shock. Yet, how easy it is for us modern-day Catholics to show up at Mass Sunday after Sunday, receiving the Eucharist as simply part of a weekly routine.

If we really spent time praying and contemplating the gift our Lord is offering us in this sacrament, we would be awestruck at the love and power in this gift. Through it, our Lord is giving us the very best He has to give — Himself. In his gift of the Eucharist, He has held back nothing, giving us literally everything he has to give, His very Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. Not even the greatest theological scholar or the holiest of saints can fully understand this mystery.

Thankfully, the first reading comes as a wonderful consolation to us “ordinary folks.” It says, “Let whoever is simple turn in here; to the one who lacks understanding… come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding.”

St. Paul delivers a similar message in our second reading, instructing, “Watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, making the most of the opportunity because the days are evil.” So, we don’t need to be saints or scholars in order to receive this sublime gift. But we should do our best to receive the Eucharist with gratitude. And we can look to today’s readings to glean two fundamental principles to become better Christian stewards.

First, the Eucharist is the foundation for a stewardship way of life. Through His gift of the Eucharist, God fills us with His love and strength. This love and strength empower us to live as generous stewards — to be faithful to the ministries in which we serve, to step beyond our comfort zone in material giving, and to offer our very best to our families and secular work.

Second, the Eucharist is our ultimate inspiration for a stewardship way of life. When we really think about what we receive in this gift — God Himself — we will want to make a joyful return to Him by the way we live our lives! The more that we deepen our understanding of this sacrament through study of the Church’s teachings on the Eucharist, the more we will want to live our lives as grateful, generous and joy-filled stewards.

As the book of Proverbs and the great St. Paul remind us, let us not live foolishly, but make the most of our time — during Mass and adoration — by giving the Lord all our attention and devotion in these moments. Let us form ourselves by studying what the Catechism and spiritual writers must teach us about the Eucharist. Then, coming to Mass each week will be anything but routine.

And in return for this unfathomable gift of our Lord Himself, let us live intentionally and passionately as His disciples every day of our lives.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 11th August 2024

First reading
1 Kings 19:4-8
The angel gives Elijah food to reach the mountain of God

    Elijah went into the wilderness, a day’s journey, and sitting under a furze bush wished he were dead. ‘O Lord,’ he said ‘I have had enough. Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’ Then he lay down and went to sleep. But an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked round, and there at his head was a scone baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. But the angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat, or the journey will be too long for you.’ So he got up and ate and drank, and strengthened by that food he walked for forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 33(34):2-9

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

I will bless the Lord at all times,
    his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
    The humble shall hear and be glad.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Glorify the Lord with me.
    Together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord and he answered me;
    from all my terrors he set me free.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Look towards him and be radiant;
    let your faces not be abashed.
This poor man called, the Lord heard him
    and rescued him from all his distress.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

The angel of the Lord is encamped
    around those who revere him, to rescue them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
    He is happy who seeks refuge in him.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

________

Second reading
Ephesians 4:30-5:2
Forgive each other as readily as God forgave you

    Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God who has marked you with his seal for you to be set free when the day comes. Never have grudges against others, or lose your temper, or raise your voice to anybody, or call each other names, or allow any sort of spitefulness. Be friends with one another, and kind, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ.

    Try, then, to imitate God as children of his that he loves and follow Christ loving as he loved you, giving himself up in our place as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn14:23

Alleluia, alleluia!

If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him, 
and we shall come to him.

Alleluia!

Or:
Jn6:51

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the living bread which has come down from heaven, 
says the Lord.
Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
John 6:41-51
Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever

    The Jews were complaining to each other about Jesus, because he had said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ ‘Surely this is Jesus son of Joseph’ they said. ‘We know his father and mother. How can he now say, “I have come down from heaven”?’ Jesus said in reply, ‘Stop complaining to each other.

    ‘No one can come to me
unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me,
and I will raise him up at the last day.
It is written in the prophets:
They will all be taught by God,
and to hear the teaching of the Father,
and learn from it,
is to come to me.
Not that anybody has seen the Father,
except the one who comes from God:
he has seen the Father.
I tell you most solemnly,
everybody who believes has eternal life.

    ‘I am the bread of life.
Your fathers ate the manna in the desert
and they are dead;
but this is the bread that comes down from heaven,
so that a man may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread which has come down from heaven.
Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever;
and the bread that I shall give is my flesh,
for the life of the world.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 11th August 2024

 

1 KGS 19:4-8; PS 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9; EPH 4:30-52; JN 6:41-51

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

Our readings today continue to educate us on the Eucharist.

We hear in our first reading about the prophet Elijah who is traveling in the desert as he is fleeing for his life. He cries out to God to take his life. Yet an angel appears to him giving him food to nourish and sustain him on his journey to freedom.

In different ways, we can all relate to the prophet Elijah as he “flees for his life.” We might feel like we are fleeing for our lives by running from a problem that is causing us stress, fighting an illness, or just barely making it through the week. Or, we might feel like we are stranded in a desert—empty of energy, trapped with no way out or spiritually quenched.

Just as the angel reminded Elijah, in these moments of despair or desolation, we are called not to give up but to get up and keep going. And thankfully we do not need to keep going on our own — we have Food that will nourish us and give us strength on our journey to freedom. This food is not food that perishes, but food that continues to sustain us.

Jesus tells us in our Gospel that He is this Food that sustains us as He says, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven…and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” This bread He is referring to is His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity that we receive. This bread becomes the flesh of Christ Himself.

And in consuming Him, we receive every grace we need to live forever in eternal life. We are strengthened in virtue and united more closely to Christ. This is the Food that will fill us as we journey through this life.

Mistakenly we often take the Eucharist for granted. Maybe we come to Mass to “check the box” instead of actively partaking in this intimate exchange or we receive Jesus in the Eucharist and then forget about Him the second we leave the church after Mass.

To receive all that God wants to give us in the Eucharist, we must do our part in being receptive to His grace and living out active discipleship in our day-to-day lives. As St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Ephesians, “So be imitators of God, as beloved children…”.

Let us approach the Lord acknowledging His Divine Presence and be open to all the graces He desires to pour out on us. Then we must go forth, being attentive to the moments that the Holy Spirit is calling us to act as He acts — in total love and sacrifice. “All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting and reviling must be removed” from us. We are called to be “kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.”

These are big requests. But they are made easier when we are actively living out our call to discipleship each day of our lives and not just once a week at Mass. We must carry what we receive each week into our day-to-day moments. It can start simply by incorporating daily prayer into our lives and seeking ways to serve others throughout our day. If we give God that, He will cause it to flourish.

The Eucharist affects our lives more than we can comprehend. We are receiving God Himself. Let us strive to receive Him reverently and with open hearts. And as we exit our church this week, let us not forget Who we are carrying in our hearts all week long.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 04th August 2024

First reading
Exodus 16:2-4,12-15
The Lord sends manna from heaven

    The whole community of the sons of Israel began to complain against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness and said to them, ‘Why did we not die at the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we were able to sit down to pans of meat and could eat bread to our heart’s content! As it is, you have brought us to this wilderness to starve this whole company to death!’

    Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Now I will rain down bread for you from the heavens. Each day the people are to go out and gather the day’s portion; I propose to test them in this way to see whether they will follow my law or not.

    ‘I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel. Say this to them, “Between the two evenings you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have bread to your heart’s content. Then you will learn that I, the Lord, am your God.”’

    And so it came about: quails flew up in the evening, and they covered the camp; in the morning there was a coating of dew all round the camp. When the coating of dew lifted, there on the surface of the desert was a thing delicate, powdery, as fine as hoarfrost on the ground. When they saw this, the sons of Israel said to one another, ‘What is that?’ not knowing what it was. ‘That’ said Moses to them ‘is the bread the Lord gives you to eat.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 77(78):3-4,23-25,54

The Lord gave them bread from heaven.

The things we have heard and understood,
    the things our fathers have told us,
these we will not hide from their children
    but will tell them to the next generation:

The Lord gave them bread from heaven.

the glories of the Lord and his might
    and the marvellous deeds he has done,
Yet he commanded the clouds above
    and opened the gates of heaven.
He rained down manna for their food,
    and gave them bread from heaven.

The Lord gave them bread from heaven.

Mere men ate the bread of angels.
    He sent them abundance of food;
So he brought them to his holy land,
    to the mountain which his right hand had won.

The Lord gave them bread from heaven.

________

Second reading
Ephesians 4:17,20-24
Put aside your old self and put on the new

    I want to urge you in the name of the Lord, not to go on living the aimless kind of life that pagans live. Now that is hardly the way you have learnt from Christ, unless you failed to hear him properly when you were taught what the truth is in Jesus. You must give up your old way of life; you must put aside your old self, which gets corrupted by following illusory desires. Your mind must be renewed by a spiritual revolution so that you can put on the new self that has been created in God’s way, in the goodness and holiness of the truth.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn14:6

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord;
No one can come to the Father except through me.

Alleluia!

Or:
Mt4:4

Alleluia, alleluia!

Man does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
John 6:24-35
It is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven; I am the bread of life

    When the people saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into boats and crossed to Capernaum to look for Jesus. When they found him on the other side, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’

    Jesus answered:

    ‘I tell you most solemnly,
you are not looking for me because you have seen the signs
but because you had all the bread you wanted to eat.
Do not work for food that cannot last,
but work for food that endures to eternal life,
the kind of food the Son of Man is offering you,
for on him the Father, God himself, has set his seal.’

    Then they said to him, ‘What must we do if we are to do the works that God wants?’ Jesus gave them this answer, ‘This is working for God: you must believe in the one he has sent.’ So they said, ‘What sign will you give to show us that we should believe in you? What work will you do? Our fathers had manna to eat in the desert; as scripture says: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ Jesus answered:

    ‘I tell you most solemnly,
it was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven,
it is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven,
the true bread;
for the bread of God
is that which comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world.’

‘Sir,’ they said ‘give us that bread always.’ Jesus answered:

    ‘I am the bread of life.
He who comes to me will never be hungry;
he who believes in me will never thirst.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 04th August 2024

 

EX 16:2-4, 12-15; PS 78:3-4, 23-24, 25, 54; EPH 4:17, 20-24; JN 6:24-35

Often, we live our lives striving for temporary happiness. But today, Jesus reminds us to “not work for food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life.”

Last week we heard about Jesus multiplying the loaves of bread and fish for a large crowd. All who were there ate and were satisfied. The multiplication of the loaves prefigures Jesus at the Last Supper and every Eucharistic meal we celebrate at Mass.

Our Eucharistic meal is the Spiritual Food that we consume — Jesus Himself, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. It will satisfy us as Jesus says, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

We all have a need to be satisfied. It is in our humanity. It might feel like something is missing in our lives, we always want more, or we are constantly looking to the next moment. The ‘now’ is not good enough, we do not feel complete.

And in that incompleteness, we grab at what surrounds us to satisfy our hearts. It could be the next job promotion, the comforts in our homes, the next trip we plan to take, the new house we want to buy, or even taking the next stage in our vocation — marriage, new baby, becoming a grandparent. The list goes on. We might think to ourselves, ‘then I will be happier.’ Or maybe we don’t even realize how we are relying on those things or events in our lives.

And while many of those things are good and bring us joy, they are only a small glimpse of the deeper, lasting happiness that the Lord offers us. They are gifts that should remind us of our Good and Gracious Creator. Instead of placing undue importance on those things or people, place it on Jesus, as He says, “Whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” He is the One who fills our hearts.

So how do we order our minds and hearts so that Jesus is our source of fulfillment? Simply by responding to His invitation to “come to Him.”

We come to Jesus when we receive the Bread of Life at every Mass. The moment we receive the Eucharist, we are sustained and strengthened on our journey to eternal life.

Yet to carry Jesus in our minds and hearts all week long, we must respond to His invitation to “come to Him” in other ways as well.

Jesus wants us to come to Him in daily prayer by sitting in silence, praising Him for blessings, and asking Him for guidance. He wants us to come to Him throughout our day-to-day moments — acknowledging His presence, thanking Him for good news received, or calling on Him in a weak or hard moment. He wants us to come to Him as we serve our families, friends, and community at large, remembering that as we serve others, we are serving Christ Himself.

It is simply by letting Him be the One we go to first. It is in those moments that we begin to seek Him as our source of fulfillment in this life.

As you go about your day-to-day lives this week, try to recognize the times you are “working for food that perishes” by seeking things of the world to satisfy your heart. In those moments, recall that everything we have is a gift from God. Instead of misusing that gift, offer a prayer of thanksgiving for all He has given to you. Then respond to Jesus’ invitation to “come to Him” by speaking with Him throughout your day.