 |
Just A Minute (Listen) Some of EWTN's most popular hosts and guests in a collection of one minute inspirational messages. A different message each time you click. |
Posted on 08/02/2014 7:40:56 PM PDT by Salvation
August 3, 2014
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 Is 55:1-3
Thus says the LORD:
All you who are thirsty,
come to the water!
You who have no money,
come, receive grain and eat;
Come, without paying and without cost,
drink wine and milk!
Why spend your money for what is not bread;
your wages for what fails to satisfy?
Heed me, and you shall eat well,
you shall delight in rich fare.
Come to me heedfully,
listen, that you may have life.
I will renew with you the everlasting covenant,
the benefits assured to David.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 145:8-9, 15-16, 17-18
R/ (cf. 16) The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R/ The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
The eyes of all look hopefully to you,
and you give them their food in due season;
you open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
R/ The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R/ The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
Reading 2 Rom 8:35, 37-39
Brothers and sisters:
What will separate us from the love of Christ?
Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?
No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly
through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities,
nor present things, nor future things,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature will be able to separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Gospel Mt 14:13-21
When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist,
he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.
The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.
When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said,
“This is a deserted place and it is already late;
dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages
and buy food for themselves.”
Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away;
give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
“Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.”
Then he said, “Bring them here to me, ”
and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples,
who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied,
and they picked up the fragments left over—
twelve wicker baskets full.
Those who ate were about five thousand men,
not counting women and children.
|
Just A Minute (Listen) Some of EWTN's most popular hosts and guests in a collection of one minute inspirational messages. A different message each time you click. |
|
|
|
The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.
Amen. |
Feast Day: August 3
St. Peter Julian Eymard
Feast Day: August 3
Born: 1811 :: Died: 1868
St. Peter Eymard was born in Grenoble in France. He worked with his father making and repairing knives until he was eighteen and spent his free time studying. Peter longed to become a priest so he taught himself Latin and received instruction in the faith from a helpful priest.
When he was twenty years old he joined the seminary of Grenoble and a few years later became a priest. He served in two parishes during the next five years and the people realized what a gift he was to them.
Father Eymard had a glowing love for the Holy Eucharist and loved to spend time daily in adoration. On the feast of Corpus Christi (the feast of the Body and Blood of Jesus) when he was carrying the Host in procession, he felt the presence of Jesus like warmth from a fireplace and it seemed to surround him with love and light.
He begged that the mercy and love of Jesus touch everyone as he had been touched and he asked Jesus to bless the people and take care of all their needs.
Years later he started a new religious order and they became known as the Priests of the Blessed Sacrament. Two years after that he began an order of sisters called the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament who devoted their lives to the perpetual (continuous) adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
He wrote many books about the Holy Eucharist that were translated into different languages and are still available today.
For four years before he died St. Peter Eymard suffered severe pain, difficulties and critisim but he continued adoring the Holy Eucharist. His witness and sacrifice and example helped many people also become priests. He died at the age of 57 on August 1, 1868.
Friday, August 3
Liturgical Color: Green
Today the Church honors Nicodemus,
the member of the Sanhedrin who was
a secret follower of Jesus. He convinced
the other members that Jesus was
entitled to a trial, and later helped St.
Joseph of Arimathea prepare Jesus
for burial.
Day 233 - Why is God more important than the family? // How is authority exercised correctly?
Why is God more important than the family?
Without relationship a person cannot live. Man's most important relationship is the one he has with God. This has priority over all human relationships, even family relationships. Children do not belong to the parents, nor do parents belong to their children. Every person belongs directly to God. Only to God is man bound absolutely and always. This is how we understand what Jesus said to those who are called: "He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me" (Mt 10:37). Therefore parents should place their children confidently into God's hands if the Lord calls them to the consecrated life in a religious order or to be a priest.
How is authority exercised correctly?
Authority is exercised properly when it is understood according to Jesus' example as service. It must never be arbitrary. Jesus showed us once and for all how authority should be exercised. He, the greatest authority, served others and took the last place. Jesus even washed the feet of his disciples (Jn 13:1-20). The authority of parents, teachers, educators, and superiors is given to them by God, not so that they can lord it over those who are entrusted to their care, but rather so that they might understand and exercise their duty of guiding and training as service. (YOUCAT questions 374-375)
Dig Deeper: CCC section (2232-2237) and other references here.
Daily Readings for:August 03, 2014
(Readings on USCCB website)
Collect: Draw near to your servants, O Lord, and answer their prayers with unceasing kindness, that, for those who glory in you as their Creator and guide, you may restore what you have created and keep safe what you have restored. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
RECIPES
o Summer Sunday Dinner (Sample Menu)
ACTIVITIES
PRAYERS
o Book of Blessings: Blessing Before and After Meals: Ordinary Time (1st Plan)
o Book of Blessings: Blessing Before and After Meals: Ordinary Time (2nd Plan)
· Ordinary Time: August 3rd
· Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Old Calendar: Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
But they said to him, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have here." Then he said, "Bring them here to me," and He ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over — twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children (Matt 14:17-21).
Click here for commentary on the readings in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.
Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 55:1-3. The prophet, living among the Jewish exiles in Babylon, utters words of consolation for the despairing exiles. Here he tells them that Yahweh is inviting them to a banquet which he freely gives them. Yahweh alone can provide for their real needs; they are foolish to look elsewhere for consolation or help. If they cooperate he will fulfill the promise he had made to David, the promise of a future Messiah.
The second reading is from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 8:35, 37-39. St. Paul concludes this chapter with a hymn in praise of God's love for us: "with God on our side," he says, "who can be against us?" Then come today's verses, which are rhetorical questions, showing that there is no power in heaven or on earth that can take away or lessen God's love for us as manifested in Christ, his Incarnate Son.
The Gospel is from St. Matthew 14:13-21. This miracle was an act of kindness and loving thoughtfulness on the part of Christ. He saw the people's need - it was late for them to return to their homes and they had had nothing to eat all day - and He worked a miracle to provide for this need. The miracle also helped to convince the people of Galilee - the news spread around quickly - that He was the expected Messiah, but especially it prepared the way for the announcement of the greatest miracle of all - the miracle of the Eucharist. As St. John tells us Jesus referred to this miracle the next day in order to introduce His promise of the heavenly bread which He would give them and which was to be His own body and blood, under the form of bread and wine. The bread He miraculously multiplied that day to supply the bodily needs of the Galilean multitude was but a foreshadowing of that heavenly food which He was about to give as spiritual nourishment to the millions who would become His followers down through the centuries until the end of time.
The Galileans were grateful to Him for providing so kindly and so thoughtfully for their needs. How much more grateful should we not be for the miracle by means of which He has left us Himself to be our daily spiritual food? We are grateful, of course, to our loving Lord who not only handed up His Body to His enemies to be crucified for us, but through His divine power, arranged that His glorified body, triumphant over death, should remain with us, His Church, forever under the Eucharistic species.
Though invisible to mortal eyes, He is as truly present on our altars as He was that day in Galilee, when He miraculously fed the multitude. He is present under the form of bread and wine — so that we can partake of Him as spiritual nourishment during our earthly life. Could love go any further? He Himself said: "A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends" (Jn. 15 :13). Yes, once a man has given his life he has given his all; there is nothing more he can give. But Christ was more than man. He was God as well, and, therefore, He was able not only to lay down His human life for us, but was able and willing to remain with us after death under the Eucharistic species: to be our strength and nourishment until we join Him in the promised land of heaven.
When we compare our own unworthiness with this, almost incredible, love and thoughtfulness of Christ for us, all we can do is simply to say: "Lord, you know I am not worthy to receive you, but you say you want to come into my poor and untidy home, please make me less unworthy, forgive all my past sins and offenses, and give me the grace and strength to be better in the future."
Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.
18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Give them some food yourselves. (Matthew 14:16)
Tony Melendez was born without any arms. But he was also born with a gift for music, so he developed a unique way to share that gift. He played with his feet, starting with a push-button organ and moving to the guitar and harmonica. Combining his musical gifts with his faith, Melendez became involved in music ministry.
In 1987, he played before Pope John Paul II, who leaped out of his seat, embraced the young man, and said, “My wish for you is to continue giving this hope to all the people.” Melendez is still doing that through his ministry, giving concerts and motivational talks, supporting people with disabilities, and helping young-adult and missionary programs.
Tony Melendez is a perfect illustration of the principle we see at work in today’s reading. The disciples didn’t have that much going for them. Five loaves and two fish couldn’t possibly feed such a huge crowd! But they brought their meager portion to Jesus, who blessed it and gave it back to them. Notice: he didn’t distribute the meal himself. He told the disciples to do it. Not sure what to expect, they handed out the bread and fish—and the impossible became possible!
By telling the disciples to feed the crowd themselves, Jesus made it clear that the miracle would not happen without them.
What do you have to offer today? Don’t worry if it seems paltry. Offer it to the Lord anyway. Give him your work, play, or study. Give him the difficult situation that you’re dealing with. Give him your imagination or your anxieties. Ask him to bless it, transform it, and use it for his Father’s glory. Then, like Tony Melendez, work with whatever you have. As you do, you’ll find God’s power multiplying your offering, “feeding” the people around you.
“Lord, I give you my heart. Thank you for accepting me as I am. I trust that you will let none of my gifts go to waste!”
Isaiah 55:1-3; Psalm 145:8-9, 15-18; Romans 8:35, 37-39
(Isaiah 55:1-3; Psalm 145:8-9,15-18; Romans 8:35,37-39; Matthew 14:13-21)
1. In the first reading, we hear these words: “All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come receive grain and eat. Come, without paying and without cost.” What an offer! All Jesus is asking is that we “come” to Him and he will give us everything we need, and we will “delight in rich fare.” How would you describe your “thirst” for the Lord? What specific things can you do this week to increase that thirst and “come” to the Lord?
2. Again in the responsorial psalm, we read that the “hand of the Lord feeds us; he answer all our needs.” What are the needs in your life that require the Lord’s grace and power? In these areas, how do you want the Lord to touch you?
3. In the second reading, St. Paul reviews the circumstances of his life (persecution, famine, etc.) and concludes that none of it can separate him from “the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” To what extent do you believe this as well for your life? How can you use this truth to guide your prayer time and how you live out your day?
4. In the Gospel, we read that Jesus’ heart was “moved with pity,” and he feeds the large crowd earthly bread. But at every Mass, we are fed by Christ with Himself, the bread of eternal life. How hungry are you for this bread? How can you increase your hunger for Jesus, the bread of life?
5. The meditation describes the exceptional ministry of Tony Melendez, who was born without arms. The meditation also encourages us with these words to offer whatever gifts we have to the Lord: “Ask him to bless it, transform it, and use it for his Father’s glory. Then, like Tony Melendez, work with whatever you have. As you do, you’ll find God’s power multiplying your offering, ‘feeding’ the people around you.” What are some ways you can use the gifts the Lord has given you to bring glory to God?
6. Take some time now to pray and thank the Lord for his great love for you and ask him to let none of the gifts he has given you go to waste. Use the prayer at the end of the mediation as the starting point.
THE HOLY EUCHARIST
(A biblical reflection on the 18th Ordinary Sunday, 3 August 2014)
Gospel Reading: Matthew 14:13-21
First Reading: Isaiah 55:1-3; Psalms: Psalm 145:8-9,15-18; Second Reading: Romans 8:35,37-39
The Scripture Text
Now when Jesus heard this, He withdrew from there in a boat to a lonely place apart. But when the crowds heard it, they followed Him on foot from the towns. As He went ashore He saw a great throng; and He had compassion on them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food rot themselves.” Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to Him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And He said, “Bring them here to Me.” Then He ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish He looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides woman and children. (Matthew 14:13-21 RSV)
As much as Jesus wanted to satisfy the physical hunger of the more than five thousand people He fed that day in Galilee, He wanted to fill their spirits even more. From the earliest centuries, the Church has seen the multiplication of bread and fish as pointing toward something even greater: the Holy Eucharist, in which Jesus feeds millions every day with His body and blood.
Imagine the grace that’s available at Mass, if only we “hearken diligently” to the Lord (Isaiah 55:2). What could be more life-changing than joining with so many of God’s people in a prayer of praise and adoration? What could be more powerful than receiving Jesus Christ Himself, letting His flesh and blood mingle with ours, letting His Holy Spirit lift our spirits up to the very throne of heaven? No wonder countless saints have sung the praises of the Holy Eucharist!
And yet, we all know how easy it can be to go to Mass without expecting to be changed. We all know how quickly the prayers and readings can take a back seat to thoughts about our day, daydreams about the future, or worries about the past. How can we reverse this tendency? By preparing!
Let us try to take a little time with the Lord before heading out the door for Mass. We ask Him to examine our hearts and show us where we might need to repent so that at the penitential rite, we will know and will experience forgiveness. Let’s set aside some time to read the Scripture passages ahead of time, so that when they are proclaimed in the liturgy we (you and I) will hear Jesus speaking to each of us personally. Let’s take a few moments to remember Christ’ body, broken for us on the cross, and thank Him for loving each of us even unto death. Whatever we do, we must realize that as we come to the Lord’s table, with humble, repentant hearts, willing to be changed by the Lord, the Holy Eucharist can become one of the most powerful experiences in our lives. May we all come to taste and see the goodness of the Lord!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I am amazed by Your compassion. Thank You for sacrificing Your life on the altar of the cross so that I might have Your life in me. Thank You for feeding me with Your own self. By Your Holy Spirit, help me open myself up to the transforming power of Your love. Amen.
| Matthew | |||
| English: Douay-Rheims | Latin: Vulgata Clementina | Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) | |
| Matthew 14 |
|||
| 13. | Which when Jesus had heard, he retired from thence by boat, into a desert place apart, and the multitudes having heard of it, followed him on foot out of the cities. | Quod cum audisset Jesus, secessit inde in navicula, in locum desertum seorsum : et cum audissent turbæ, secutæ sunt eum pedestres de civitatibus. | και ακουσας ο ιησους ανεχωρησεν εκειθεν εν πλοιω εις ερημον τοπον κατ ιδιαν και ακουσαντες οι οχλοι ηκολουθησαν αυτω πεζη απο των πολεων |
| 14. | And he coming forth saw a great multitude, and had compassion on them, and healed their sick. | Et exiens vidit turbam multam, et misertus est eis, et curavit languidos eorum. | και εξελθων ο ιησους ειδεν πολυν οχλον και εσπλαγχνισθη επ αυτοις και εθεραπευσεν τους αρρωστους αυτων |
| 15. | And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying: This is a desert place, and the hour is now past: send away the multitudes, that going into the towns, they may buy themselves victuals. | Vespere autem facto, accesserunt ad eum discipuli ejus, dicentes : Desertus est locus, et hora jam præteriit : dimitte turbas, ut euntes in castella, emant sibi escas. | οψιας δε γενομενης προσηλθον αυτω οι μαθηται αυτου λεγοντες ερημος εστιν ο τοπος και η ωρα ηδη παρηλθεν απολυσον τους οχλους ινα απελθοντες εις τας κωμας αγορασωσιν εαυτοις βρωματα |
| 16. | But Jesus said to them, They have no need to go: give you them to eat. | Jesus autem dixit eis : Non habent necesse ire : date illis vos manducare. | ο δε ιησους ειπεν αυτοις ου χρειαν εχουσιν απελθειν δοτε αυτοις υμεις φαγειν |
| 17. | They answered him: We have not here, but five loaves, and two fishes. | Responderunt ei : Non habemus hic nisi quinque panes et duos pisces. | οι δε λεγουσιν αυτω ουκ εχομεν ωδε ει μη πεντε αρτους και δυο ιχθυας |
| 18. | He said to them: Bring them hither to me. | Qui ait eis : Afferte mihi illos huc. | ο δε ειπεν φερετε μοι αυτους ωδε |
| 19. | And when he had commanded the multitudes to sit down upon the grass, he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. | Et cum jussisset turbam discumbere super fœnum, acceptis quinque panibus et duobus piscibus, aspiciens in cælum benedixit, et fregit, et dedit discipulis panes, discipuli autem turbis. | και κελευσας τους οχλους ανακλιθηναι επι τους χορτους λαβων τους πεντε αρτους και τους δυο ιχθυας αναβλεψας εις τον ουρανον ευλογησεν και κλασας εδωκεν τοις μαθηταις τους αρτους οι δε μαθηται τοις οχλοις |
| 20. | And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up what remained, twelve full baskets of fragments. | Et manducaverunt omnes, et saturati sunt. Et tulerunt reliquias, duodecim cophinos fragmentorum plenos. | και εφαγον παντες και εχορτασθησαν και ηραν το περισσευον των κλασματων δωδεκα κοφινους πληρεις |
| 21. | And the number of them that did eat, was five thousand men, besides women and children. | Manducantium autem fuit numerus quinque millia virorum, exceptis mulieribus et parvulis. | οι δε εσθιοντες ησαν ανδρες ωσει πεντακισχιλιοι χωρις γυναικων και παιδιων |
Daily Marriage Tip for August 3, 2014:
“He withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.” (Mt 14:13) It is important that we take time to pray and to be alone, even in our relationships. Discuss with your spouse different ways that you can both take time to be alone and have personal reflection time.
Jesus Withdraws to a Deserted Place
Pastor’s Column
18th Sunday in Ordinary time
August 3, 2014
“When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.” Matthew 14:13
Who among us hasn’t wanted to get away from it all once in a while? Jesus was no different! Surrounded by people, almost all of whom wanted something from him, Jesus decided to get into a boat and take off for another part of the lake. It appears he also left the disciples behind. Jesus needed to be by himself for a time. Being alone can be a period either of loneliness, which is negative, or solitude, which is positive.
The scriptures regularly show Jesus carving out times to pray and be alone with God the Father, which was in fact essential to his ministry. Each of us, somehow, in some way, must find some quality time with God. We do this communally by attending Mass and individually in our personal prayer times. If even Jesus could not make it without down-time with God, how can I be any different? Jesus was interrupted in his solitude.
It is encouraging that even Jesus did not always succeed in his quest to be alone with God! The people have seen where Jesus’ boat was headed and followed around the shoreline on foot until they came to where Jesus was praying. Mother Theresa was once asked what she would do if a beggar came to the door and her community was at prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. Would she interrupt her prayer? She said that she would answer the door, as this would simply be the transferring of one form of Jesus’ presence, prayer, to that of Jesus present within the person whose need had presented itself at the door. Jesus’ prayer leads to action.
Jesus’ followers in this gospel are concerned because the vast crowd has arrived with little to eat. Jesus uses this “crisis” as a chance to teach the disciples something about the providence of God. He will take what little they have and multiply these few loaves and fishes to feed everyone present.
In the same way, my prayer and solitude times, if they are real encounters with God, will necessarily lead to a great commitment to being Christ to others. We may sometimes feel we do not have enough or that we are inadequate to the tasks God has given us in life, but God can multiply our small efforts to produce something truly great when we bring them to him in prayer and a lively faith. With God, all things are possible!
Father Gary
Posted by Dr. Scott Hahn on 08.01.14 |
Readings:
Isaiah 55:1-3
Psalm 145:8-9, 15-18
Romans 8:35,37-39
Matthew 14:13-21
In Jesus and the Church, Isaiah’s promises in today’s First Reading are fulfilled. All who are thirsty come to the living waters of baptism (see John 4:14). The hungry delight in rich fare - given bread to eat and wine to drink at the Eucharistic table.
This is the point, too, of today’s Gospel. The story of Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000 brims with allusions to the Old Testament. Jesus is portrayed as a David-like shepherd who leads His flock to lie down on green grass as He spreads the table of the Messiah’s banquet before them (see Psalm 23).
Jesus is shown as a new Moses, who likewise feeds vast crowds in a deserted place. Finally, Jesus is shown doing what the prophet Elisha did - satisfying the hunger of the crowd with a few loaves and having some left over (see 2 Kings 4:42-44).
Matthew also wants us to see the feeding of the 5,000 as a sign of the Eucharist. Notice that Jesus performs the same actions in the same sequence as at the Last Supper - He takes bread, says a blessing, breaks it, and gives it (see Matthew 26:26).
Jesus instructed His apostles to celebrate the Eucharist in memory of Him. And the ministry of the Twelve is subtly stressed in today’s account. Before He performs the miracle, Jesus instructs the Twelve to give the crowd “some food yourselves.” Indeed, the apostles themselves distribute the bread blessed by Jesus (see Matthew 15:36).
And the leftovers are enough to fill precisely 12 baskets - corresponding to each of the apostles, the pillars of the Church (see Galatians 2:9; Revelation 21:14).
In the Church, as we sing in today’s Psalm, God gives us food in due season, opens His hands and satisfies the desires of every living thing. Now, as Paul reminds us in today’s Epistle, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
August 3, 2014
Opening Prayer
First Reading: Isaiah 55:1-3
Psalm: 145:8-9,15-18
Second Reading: Romans
8:35,37-39 Gospel Reading: Matthew 14:13-21
QUESTIONS:
Catechism of the Catholic Church: §§ 1335, 1329, 549
He is generous even to exhaustion; and what is most wonderful is that He gives Himself thus entirely; not once only, but every day, if we wish it. Every fresh Communion is a new gift which Jesus Christ makes of Himself. -St. Ignatius Loyola
"http://usccb.org/bible/readings/080314.cfm
Is 55: 1-3
Rm 8: 35, 37-39
Mt 14: 13-21
You have probably heard about the restaurant in North Carolina that offers a 15% discount on your bill if the owners notice you prayed before digging in to your meal. No one is being paid to pray and they do this apparently by random, not saying anything until the bill is given, but by simply observing their patrons.
Well, that unusual offer may have been a secret until now and quietly effective. But since hitting the national news, I bet everyone will suddenly become religious as their meal is delivered in hopes of receiving the discount! While there is nothing wrong with everyone praying before their meal, a good practice certainly, the purpose may now be defeated.
However, the original intent of the restaurant owners was indeed a good one, albeit unique. By giving the discount they are actually acknowledging a practice on which there can be no monetary price. Prayer is free. And who doesn’t love free?
We hear something similar in this Sunday’s readings, particularly from Isaiah: “All who are thirsty come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk!” There is no discount, no bill to pay but only to accept the invitation.
The sign of Jesus’ multiplication of the loaves and the fish is a fleshing out of Isaiah’s promise from God; a sign of abundance. That God gives far more than we deserve or could ever equal is clear. We are on the receiving end of a generous God.
The feeding of the hungry crowds along the Sea of Galilee is mentioned more often in the Gospels than any other miracle event: seven times. This makes that event significant in the memory of the early Christians, some of who may have been in the crowd that amazing evening.
The rich Eucharistic theme of this story must have been evident as the early Christian assemblies gathered for the breaking of bread. In the bread and fish they must have seen Christ feeding them through the Eucharist as they understood it to be. It was a sign of their unity and a mark of God’s abundance that stood with them in the midst of their gatherings.
In the familiar story, which has encountered a variety of interpretations, it is clear that one truth stands out: Jesus feeds a hungry crowd as God once fed the wandering people in the desert with Moses.
Remember the hungry Hebrews in the desert with Moses? Hungry and thirsty they cry out, “Why did you bring us here?” Moses prays on their behalf and God gives them water from the rock and manna from heaven. Here Jesus is about to provide another manna – more than the crowds expect
Here, Matthew makes their hunger palpable: “The disciples approached Jesus and said, ‘this is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus responds: “Give them some food yourselves.” We know that all they offered was “five loaves and two fish.”
Why would the disciples have so little for themselves? They obviously did not plan on feeding this multitude before Jesus suggested they do so. Maybe they had been snacking all day and this is all that was left. It’s clear that not only are they in a deserted place along with Jesus and the crowds but they also have little left to share even among themselves let alone a massive crowd.
So, in this place of nothing, abundance is provided as the “five thousand men, not counting women and children” are fed more than they can eat - hunger, desolation, and God’s provident care. In the end, the result was the unifying of a previously disparate crowd. The Eucharistic themes are clear.
Still, God’s generosity through Jesus is not something unfortunately that we often think about. We often feel that God thinks like we do. That he measures out everything in order to be fair and weighs our sin against the good we do then responds accordingly through punishment or reward. If I was God, and clearly I am not, that’s probably what I would do.
However, as God’s invitation is offered to us we see his very nature is one to give and invite. He does not want us to go hungry or thirsty. But our salvation depends on whether we accept or reject what he offers.
In the Holy Eucharist we are offered the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ who wants to feed us. And as we are fed, like the crowds, we are united as one in Christ as brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Our lives may feel like we walk in a deserted place. Or, maybe we are simply hungry for more direction, more meaning and purpose in life. Maybe I’ve recognized that I’m so self-absorbed with my own problems or am too comfortable to really care significantly about others.
Wherever I find myself, the invitation is always offered. While this isn’t free food since a price was paid for it, Jesus’ own death and resurrection, we too are called not too just grab it like ungrateful children but to receive it and change to become more like him. The price of allowing ourselves to be transformed into the image of Christ each day is indeed priceless. No discount needed.
Graciously sanctify these gifts, O Lord, we pray,
and, accepting the oblation of this spiritual sacrifice,
make of us an eternal offering to you.
Through Christ our Lord.
(Prayer over the Offerings)
"The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes" ("La multipliciteì de pains"; 1886-96) by James Tissot (WikiArt.org)
A Scriptural Reflection on the Readings for Sunday, August 3, 2014 | Carl E. Olson
Readings:
• Isa 55:1-3
• Psa 145:8-9, 15-16, 17-18
• Rom 8:35, 37-39
• Matt 14:13-21
The story of the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand is well known. It appears in all four of the Gospels and is told with an understated simplicity that speaks to the historical veracity of the event and to the supernatural power at the heart of it. There are many levels to the narrative, beginning with the literal one: Jesus, moved with great pity, miraculously fed the hungry crowds that followed him into the wilderness.
But to better appreciate this story, proclaimed into today’s Gospel, we should be mindful of what St. Matthew wrote about immediately prior: the violent and heinous murder of John the Baptist by Herod the tetrarch (Mt 14:1-12). John had been imprisoned because he publicly rebuked Herod—who considered himself a Jew—for marrying his sister-in-law Herodias (who previous husband was still alive), a violation of the Law’s teaching against incest (cf. Lev 18:16; 20:21). Herod, bound by a rash promise made at his birthday celebration, ordered the execution of John, who was beheaded in prison.
A number of contrasts emerge. The violent and egomaniac Herod is contrasted with Jesus, who is moved by pity, mercy, and love. Herod grasped after earthy power and pleasures; Jesus, on the other hand, reached out in humility to the townspeople who hungered for his words. They are the ones who, as best they could, followed the exhortation of the Lord spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “Heed me, and you shall eat well … Come to me heedfully, listen, that you might have life.”
While Herod feasted in a palace and shed innocent blood, Jesus and his followers ate simple food miraculously multiplied. And in doing so, as the Gospel of John emphasizes, Jesus taught how his innocent body and blood would be given up as true food and true drink (Jn 6:48-59).
Herod was a self-serving man driven by strong and sinful passions: lust, violence, anger. Jesus was perfectly oriented to the will of his Father, continually spending time in prayer so he could bring light and life to those dwelling in darkness and in the shadow of death. “In Herod”, writes Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis in Fire of Mercy, Heart of the World (Ignatius, 2003), “we see an instance of fear breeding a hatred that must destroy what it fears, while Jesus, free of fear, has the freedom to see misery for what it is and the power to pour himself out in response.”
The multiplication of the loaves and fishes is a microcosm of salvation history, a concrete demonstration of how the Incarnation reaches man where he lives so men can live where he cannot reach on his own.
The miracle of the feeding of the five thousand was both a reminder and a promise. It surely brought to mind how the prophet Elisha fed a hundred men with twenty loaves of barley and “had some left” (2 Kg 2:42-44), a miracle performed by “the word of the Lord”. And Jesus directly connected his ability to feed thousands with very little to the miracle of the manna (Jn 6:30-40).
But the feeding was also a miraculous foreshadowing and anticipation of the great gift of the Eucharist. In the Blessed Sacrament, the everlasting covenant anticipated by Isaiah and others comes to full fruition. In it, divine gift and abundance are perfectly realized and offered. “The miracles of the multiplication of the loaves,” states the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “when the Lord says the blessing, breaks and distributes the loaves through his disciples to feed the multitude, prefigure the superabundance of this unique bread of his Eucharist” (par 1335).
Finally, notice that Jesus first told the disciples to feed the people on their own. He wanted them to recognize their limits—not to humiliate them, but to teach them true humility. With this humility we can say, in the words of the Psalmist: “The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.”
(This "Opening the Word" column originally appeared in the July 31, 2011, editon of Our Sunday Visitor newspaper.)
| In the Presence of the Father | ||
|
||
|
August 3, 2014. Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
|
||
 |
||
|
Matthew 14: 13-21 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves." Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish." And he said, "Bring them here to me." Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, I believe you want me to have faith in you, faith that hearkens to your words without any second guessing. I hope in your words, not relying solely on my own strength or reasoning. I love you. You continue to astonish me by showing me that your ways are not my ways. Petition: Lord Jesus, let me know you more intimately. 1. Heart-to-Heart with His Father: There is no greater joy than spending some quality time, one-on-one, with the person we love the most. We may have heard our dad say, “Let your mother and I spend some time together”, or “We are going on our second honeymoon.” It is also like the dad who treats his kids to a special dinner to celebrate something special – just father and son; father and daughter. Special things happen when we open our hearts to the one we love. Christ did this a lot. Always united to his Father, he treasured the moments of solitude he could spend speaking with him of the things they loved. 2. A Magnanimous Heart: After his love for the Father, Christ’s greatest love is us. He cannot stand to see us in need. Like any father, friend or brother, his heart melts when he sees us suffering. Christ always came back from the heart-to-heart times with his Father with a keen awareness of the needs of others and of ways to remedy any problem. It was so natural, almost effortless. Our own growth in virtue is directly related to how much time we spend in real, personal and passionate prayer with our Lord. From these heart-to-hearts, virtue grows and overtakes us in a very natural way, because our Lord’s love is contagious. 3. Nothing Is Impossible for God: God can perform miracles whenever he wants and however he wants. Nothing can hold him back. Still we often ask ourselves, “Why doesn’t Christ perform the miracle that I need in my life – my health problem, my work, my spouse, my children?” Could it be that we’re seeking something less than what He wishes to give us? God has a plan for each of our lives. It includes moments of great joys and of crosses. At times we may not understand God’s plan, but that’s when we need to pray all the more and entrust ourselves to him even more than before. It is only through humble, constant, urgent prayer that we’ll receive the answers to our heart-wrenching questions and the grace we need to carry the cross courageously and lovingly, following in the footsteps of the one who shows us the way by carrying our cross first. Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, help me to know you better as the one who loves me more than anyone else in the world. There’s so much noise and so many things and activities that compete for the time I would like to spend with you. Help me to make you the true priority in my life. I know this will bring order and peace to my life. Resolution: I will spend five minutes before our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament today. |
August 3, 2014
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
First Reading: Isaiah 55:1-3
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/080314.cfm
In an age of obesity, free food sounds like a bad idea. We tend to take food for granted—and free food in our culture tends to be unhealthy. Besides, we can’t even get a little enthusiastic about free drinking water. Certain metaphors lose their flavor over time and Isaiah’s proclamation of a free feast with free water in this Sunday’s first reading is no different. However, that doesn’t mean that it is not worth the effort to track down its original power.
This three-verse reading comes at the beginning of Isaiah 55, a chapter that caps off a much longer section often referred to as “Second Isaiah,” chapters 40–55. This long sixteen-chapter section moves the Book of Isaiah from an era of judgment and vindication to an era of hope, redemption and mercy. Chapter 55 ends this redemptive section with a poetic climax.
In Hebrew, the reading begins with an interjection, hoy! Unfortunately, this word is hard to translate in a dignifiedly biblical-sounding way so many translations just leave it out. The prophet is trying to get our attention in the same way that a baseball stadium hawker will yell “Hot pretzels!” In English, we don’t use interjections much, but we could translate this word as “Ahoy!,” “Yo!” or Hey!” It launches this concluding chapter with an exhortation to listen up. To me, it sounds like a coach calling his team together to get the final pep talk before the big game starts. When God’s prophet says “Hey!” our ears should perk up.
For the thirsty, the prophet envisions a time of restoration, a time redemption, a time after the exile when the Jews will be brought back to the Promised Land of Israel and enjoy a special covenant relationship with God. He is not describing mere physical thirst, but the deep, generations-long, thirst for justice, for the fulfillment of God’s promises, for freedom from enemies and overlords. God’s people long for a time of restored peace and covenant love. “Every one who thirsts” (Isa 55:1 RSV) are those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness,” in Jesus’ words (Matt 5:6), both in a personal and corporate sense. While the prophecy speaks to a certain moment in the history of God’s people, it points forward to all the kinds of restoration that God can bring about and ultimately to the greatest restoration of all.
To satisfy such a deep hunger and thirst for God and his justice, Isaiah offers an ironic portrait: buy without cost! He suggests that people who have no money should “buy” grain, wine, and milk. (Some translations avoid confusion by not using a word to translate “buying,” but the Hebrew text uses it twice.) It’s a befuddling but beautiful poetic idea, to buy without cost. The only thing I can compare it to is using a coupon to obtain an item for free, but even in that case there is an exchange. The point is that in the time of God’s restoration of his people, our needs will be satisfied by God. His water and his food will reach to the deepest places of our hungry and thirsty hearts and abundantly quench our desires.
The prophet warns against using one’s wages to buy “that which is not bread” or “that which does not satisfy” (Isa 55:2 RSV). Why would anyone go to the grocery store with money and come back without food? Isaiah is talking about squandering our wealth, whether it be by investing too permanently in the land of exile, Babylon, or by investing ourselves in that which takes us away from God and away from his true purposes for our lives. It is very easy for us to waste time, waste money, waste energy in all sorts of ways that don’t help anyone, even ourselves. Isaiah encourages us to invest ourselves well, to buy the bread that really does satisfy and save ourselves the trouble of investing foolishly in what cannot satisfy.
For those who work hard, work can become an end in itself. If we lose sight of the goal, we might lose heart or get lost in the woods. Isaiah points us back to the end goal of covenant with God: delight. Isaiah recalls the everlasting covenant with David as the destiny that will re-animate God’s people after the exile. As Christians, we too participate in the fulfillment of God’s promise of God’s promises to David. The prophet’s portrait of what fulfillment looks like demonstrates satisfying delight in wonderfully human terms. Water, grain, bread, wine, and milk all lead us back to an idyllic sounding, peaceful life. Wine and milk especially indicate an agricultural paradise with well-kept, productive vineyards, and the prosperity necessary for a successful dairy farm. He even goes beyond these simple ideas to say that we’ll “eat what is good” and, translated most literally, “let your soul delight in fatness.” Now if that doesn’t get you invigorated about enjoying the eschatological banquet, I don’t know what will!
While Isaiah’s prophecy speaks to a certain people at a certain time, it extends to us to explain how God works and to point the way to our future with him. This reading is paired with the gospel of the feeding of the five thousand. Both readings reveal that mere bread, mere human food is not enough. Our souls long with a deep thirst for something far greater, far deeper, far more satisfying than regular bread. The beginning of that fulfillment starts with the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus, with the Eucharist, the Sacraments and the Church. But God’s plan of salvation is not yet finished. We look forward to the deepest quenching of our thirsty souls at the end, when the Lord comes to tell the end of his story and hand out that free food and water once and for all.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
