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From: 2 Kings 4:42-44

The Multiplication of the Loaves

[42] A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the first
fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha
said, “Give to the men, that they may eat.” [43] But his servant said, “How am I
to set this before a hundred men?” So he repeated, “Give them to the men, that
they may eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’” [44]
So he set it before them. And they ate, and had some left, according to the word
of the Lord.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

4:42-44. Baal-shalishah was almost 25 km. west of Gilgal. Given that the bread
of the first fruits was designated for God (cf. Lev 23:17-18), the man offers it to
Elisha because he is a prophet of the Lord; but Elisha, because food was scarce,
wants to share it. These hundred prophets were probably members of the groups
of prophets that Elisha belonged to when he was living with Elijah. Elisha orders
the bread to be shared out, at the same time uttering an oracle he received from
the Lord (cf. v. 43), and the miracle is duly performed. Jesus Christ will also work
the miracle of the multiplication of loaves – after the apostles raise an objection
similar to that in v. 43 (cf. Mt 14:20; 15:37 and par.).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: Ephesians 4:1-6

A Call to Unity

[1] I therefore, a prisoner of the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to
which you have been called, [2] with all lowliness and meekness, with patience,
forbearing one another in love, [3] eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the
bond of peace. [4] There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to
the one hope that belongs to your call, [5] one Lord, one faith, one baptism, [6]
one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

1-16. The second part of the letter points out certain practical consequences of
the teaching given earlier. The underlying theme of the previous chapters was the
revelation of the “mystery” of Christ — the calling of all men, Gentiles and Jews,
to form a single people, the Church. The second part of the letter begins with an
appeal to maintain the unity of the Church in the face of factors making for divi-
sion — internal discord (vv. 1-3), misuse of the different gifts or charisms with
which Christ endows individuals (v. 7), and the danger of being led astray by
heretical ideas (v. 14). Against this, St Paul teaches that the Church’s unity is
grounded on the oneness of God (vv. 4-6), and that Christ acts with full authori-
ty in the building up of his body, through its various ministries (vv. 8-13) and
through its members’ solidarity (vv. 14-16).

1. The exhortation begins by stating a general principle: a Christian’s conduct
should be consistent with the calling he has received from God.

Enormous consequences flow from the fact of being called to form part of the
Church through Baptism: “Being members of a holy nation,” St. Escriva says,
“all the faithful have received a call to holiness, and they must strive to respond
to grace and to be personally holy [. . .]. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who founds the
holy Church, expects the members of this people to strive continually to acquire
holiness. Not all respond loyally to his call. And in the spouse of Christ there are
seen, at one and the same time, both the marvel of the way of salvation and the
shortcomings of those who take up that way” (”In Love with the Church”, 5-6).

Speaking about incorporation into the Church, which is the way of salvation, Va-
tican II exhorts Catholics to “remember that their exalted condition results, not
from their own merits, but from the grace of Christ. If they fail to respond in
thought, word and deed to that grace, not only shall they not be saved, but they
shall be the more severely judged (see Lk 12:48: ‘everyone to whom much is gi-
ven, of him will much be required’; cf. Mt 5:19-20; 7:21-22; 25:41-46; Jas 2:14)”
(”Lumen Gentium”, 14).

2-3. The virtues which the Apostle lists here are all different aspects of charity
which “binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Col 3:14) and is the mark
of the true disciple of Christ (cf. Jn 13:35). Charity originates not in man but in
God: “it is a supernatural virtue infused by God into our soul by which we love
God above everything else for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for
love of God” (”St Pius X Catechism”, 898). In its decree on ecumenism the Se-
cond Vatican Council shows the perennial relevance of these words of St Paul:
“There can be no ecumenism worthy of the name without interior conversion.
For it is from interior renewal of mind (cf. Eph 4:23), from self-denial and unstin-
ted love, that desires of unity take their rise and develop in a mature way. We
should therefore pray to the Holy Spirit for the grace to be genuinely self-deny-
ing, humble, gentle in the service of others and to have an attitude of brotherly
generosity toward them” (”Unitatis Redintegratio”, 7).

Charity is basic to the building up of a peaceful human society. ‘The conscious-
ness of being trespassers against each other goes hand in hand with the call to
fraternal solidarity, which St Paul expressed in his concise exhortation to ‘for-
bear one another in love’. What a lesson of humility is to be found here with re-
gard to man, with regard both to one’s neighbor and to oneself! What a school
of good will for daily living, in the various conditions of our existence!” (Bl. John
Paul II, “Dives In Misericordia”, 14).

The peace which unites Christians is the peace which Christ brings, or rather it
is Christ himself (cf. 2:14). By having the same faith and the same Spirit, “all find
themselves”, says St John Chrysostom, “brought together in the Church — old
and young, poor and rich, adult and child, husband and wife: people of either sex
and of every condition become one and the same, more closely united than the
parts of a single body, for the unity of souls is more intimate and more perfect
than that of any natural substance. However, this unity is maintained only by ‘the
bond of peace’. It could not exist in the midst of disorder and enmity.... This is a
bond which does not restrict us, which unites us closely to one another and does
not overwhelm us: it expands our heart and gives us greater joy than we could
ever have if we were unattached. He who is strong is linked to the weaker one to
carry him and prevent him from falling and collapsing. Does the weak person feel
weak?: the stronger person tries to build up his strength. ‘A brother helped is like
a strong city’, says the wise man (Prov 18: 19)” (”Hom. on Eph, 9, ad loc”.).

Union of hearts, affections and intentions is the result of the action of the Holy
Spirit in souls, and it makes for effectiveness and strength in apostolate.

“Do you see? One strand of wire entwined with another, many woven tightly to-
gether, form that cable strong enough to lift huge weights.

“You and your brothers, with wills united to carry out God’s will, can overcome
all obstacles” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 480).

4-6. To show the importance of unity in the Church, and the theological basis of
that unity, St Paul quotes an acclamation which may well have been taken from
early Christian baptismal liturgy. It implies that the unity of the Church derives
from the unicity of the divine essence. The text also reflects the three persons
of the Blessed Trinity who are at work in the Church and who keep it together —
one Spirit, one Lord, one God and Father.

There is “only one” Holy Spirit, who brings about and maintains the unity of
Christ’s mystical body; and there is “only one” such body, the Church: “After
being lifted up on the cross and glorified, the Lord Jesus pours forth the Spirit
whom he had promised, and through whom he has called and gathered together
the people of the New Covenant, which is the Church, into a unity of faith, hope
and charity, as the Apostle teaches us (Eph 4:4-5; Gal 3:27-28) [...] It is the
Holy Spirit, dwelling in believers and pervading and ruling over the entire Church,
who brings about that wonderful communion of the faithful and joins them toge-
ther so intimately in Christ, for he [the Spirit is the principle of the Church’s uni-
ty” (Vatican II, “Unitatis Redintegratio”, 2). All Gentiles as well as Jews are
called to join this Church; all, therefore, share the one single hope — that of be-
ing saints which is implied in the vocation they have received.

Recognition of there being only one Lord, who is head of the mystical body, un-
derlines the unity that should obtain among all the many members of this single
body. All its members are solidly built on Christ when they confess “only one”
faith—the faith that he taught and which the Apostles and the Church have ex-
pressed in clear statements of doctrine and dogma. “There can be only one faith;
and so, if a person refuses to listen to the Church, he should be considered, so
the Lord commands, as a heathen and a publican (cf. Mt 18:17)” (Pius XII, “Mys-
tici Corporis”, 10). All Christians have also received only one Baptism, that is, a
Baptism by means of which, after making a profession of faith, they join the other
members of the Church as their equals. Since there is only “one Lord, one faith,
one baptism,” “there is a common dignity of members deriving from their rebirth
in Christ, a common grace as sons, a common vocation to perfection, one sal-
vation, one hope and undivided charity. In Christ and in the Church there is, then,
no inequality arising from race or nationality, social condition or sex, for ‘there is
neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; there is neither male nor
female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus’ (Gal 3:28; cf. Col 3:11)” (Vatican II,
Lumen Gentium”, 32).

God, the Father of all, is, in the last analysis, the basis of the natural unity of
mankind. Pope Pius XII, after recalling that the sacred books tell us that all the
rest of mankind originated from the first man and woman, and how all the various
tribes and peoples grew up which are scattered throughout the world, exclaimed,
“This is a wonderful vision which allows us to reflect on the unity of mankind: all
mankind has a common origin in the Creator, as we are told, ‘one God and father
of us all’ (Eph 4:6); moreover, all men and women share one and the same nature:
all have a material body and an immortal and spiritual soul” (”Summi Pontificatus”,
18). God is “above all”: his lordship and control over things means that he is the
author and maintainer of their unity. Throughout history he has acted “through all”
his children, that is, believers, whom he has used to bring about unity among
men and over all created things. And he dwells “in all” the faithful, for they be-
long to him; even the deepest recesses of their hearts are his.

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: John 6:1-15

The Miracle of the Loaves and Fish

[1] After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea
of Tiberias. [2] And a multitude followed Him, because they saw the signs which
He did on those who were diseased. [3] Jesus went up into the hills, and there
sat down with His disciples. [4] Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at
hand. [5] Lifting up His eyes, then, seeing that a multitude was coming to Him,
Jesus said to Philip, “How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?”
[6] This He said to test them, for He Himself knew what He would do. [7] Philip
answered Him, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of
them to get a little.” [8] One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother,
said to Him, [9] “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but
what are they among so many?” [10] Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.”
Now there was much grass in the place; so men sat down, in number about five
thousand. [11] Jesus then took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He
distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they
wanted. [12] And when they had eaten their fill, He told His disciples, “Gather up
the fragments left over, that nothing may be lost.” [13] So they gathered them up
and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those
who had eaten. [14] When the people saw the sign which He had done, they said,
“This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!”

[15] Perceiving then that they were about to come and take Him by force to
make Him king, Jesus withdrew again to the hills by Himself.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

1. This is the second lake formed by the river Jordan. It is sometimes described
in the Gospels as the “Lake of Gennesaret” (Luke 5:1), because that is the name
of the area on the north-eastern bank of the lake, and sometimes as the “Sea of
Galilee” (Matthew 4:18; 15:29; Mark 1:16; 7:31), after the region in which it is lo-
cated. St. John also calls it the “Sea of Tiberias” (cf. 21:1), after the city of that
name which Herod Antipas founded and named after the Emperor Tiberius. In
Jesus’ time there were a number of towns on the shore of this lake — Tiberias,
Magdala, Capernaum, Bethsaida, etc.—and the shore was often the setting for
His preaching.

2. Although St. John refers to only seven miracles and does not mention others
which are reported in the Synoptics, in this verse and more expressly at the end
of the Gospel (20:30; 21:25) he says that the Lord worked many miracles; the
reason why the evangelist, under God’s inspiration, chose these seven must
surely be because they best suited His purpose—to highlight certain facets of
the mystery of Christ. He now goes on to recount the miracle of the multiplica-
tion of the loaves and the fish, a miracle directly connected with the discourses
at Capernaum in which Jesus presents Himself as “the bread of life” (6:35, 48).

4. St. John’s Gospel often mentions Jewish feasts when referring to events in our
Lord’s public ministry—as in the case here (cf. “The Dates of the Life of our Lord
Jesus Christ”, in the “The Navarre Bible: St. Mark”, pp. 49ff, and “Introduction to
the Gospel according to St. John”, pp. 13ff above).

Shortly before this Passover Jesus works the miracle of the multiplication of the
loaves and the fish, which prefigures the Christian Easter and the mystery of the
Blessed Eucharist, as He Himself explains in the discourse, beginning at verse
26 in which He promises Himself as nourishment for our souls.

5-9. Jesus is sensitive to people’s material and spiritual needs. Here we see Him
take the initiative to satisfy the hunger of the crowd of people who have been fol-
lowing Him.

Through these conversations and the miracle He is going to work, Jesus also
teaches His disciples to trust in Him whenever they meet up with difficulties in
their apostolic endeavors in the future: they should engage in them using what-
ever resources they have — even if they are plainly inadequate, as was the case
with the five loaves and two fish. He will supply what is lacking. In the Christian
life we must put what we have at the service of our Lord, even if we do not think
it amounts to very much. He can make meager resources productive.

“We must, then, have faith and not be dispirited. We must not be stopped by any
kind of human calculation. To overcome the obstacles we have to throw ourselves
into the task so that the very effort we make will open up new paths” (St. J. Es-
criva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 160).

10. The evangelist gives us an apparently unimportant piece of information: “there
was much grass in the place.” This indicates that the miracle took place in the
height of the Palestinian spring, very near the Passover, as mentioned in verse 4.
There are very few big meadows in Palestine; even today there is one on the eas-
tern bank of the Lake of Gennesaret, called El-Batihah, where five thousand peo-
ple could fit seated: it may have been the site of this miracle.

11. The account of the miracle begins with almost the very same words as those
which the Synoptics and St. Paul use to describe the institution of the Eucharist
(cf. Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:25). This indicates
that the miracle, in addition to being an expression of Jesus’ mercy towards the
needy, is a symbol of the Blessed Eucharist, about which our Lord will speak a
little later on (cf. John 6:26-59).

12-13. The profusion of detail shows how accurate this narrative is — the names
of the Apostles who address our Lord (verses 5,8), the fact that they were barley
loaves (verse 9), the boy who provided the wherewithal (verse 9) and, finally, Je-
sus telling them to gather up the leftovers.

This miracle shows Jesus’ divine power over matter, and His largesse recalls the
abundance of messianic benefits which the prophets had foretold (cf. Jeremiah
31:14).

Christ’s instruction to pick up the leftovers teaches us that material resources
are gifts of God and should not be wasted: they should be used in a spirit of po-
verty (cf. note on Mark 6:42). In this connection Paul VI pointed out that “after li-
berally feeding the crowds, the Lord told His disciples to gather up what was left
over, lest anything should be lost (cf. John 6:12). What an excellent lesson in
thrift — in the finest and fullest meaning of the term—for our age, given as it is to
wastefulness! It carries with it the condemnation of a whole concept of society
wherein consumption tends to become an end in itself, with contempt for the
needy, and to the detriment, ultimately, of those very people who believed them-
selves to be its beneficiaries, having become incapable of perceiving that man
is called to a higher destiny” ([Pope] Paul VI, “Address to Participants at the
World Food Conference”, 9 November 1974).

14-15. The faith which the miracle causes in the hearts of these people is still
very imperfect: they recognize Him as the Messiah promised in the Old Testa-
ment (cf. Deuteronomy 18:15), but they are thinking in terms of an earthly, po-
litical messianism; they want to make Him king because they think the Mes-
siah’s function is to free them from Roman domination.

Our Lord, who later on (verses 26-27) will explain the true meaning of the multi-
plication of the loaves and the fish, simply goes away, to avoid the people pro-
claiming Him for what He is not. In His dialogue with Pilate (cf. John 18:36) He
will explain that His kingship “is not of this world”: “The Gospels clearly show
that for Jesus anything that would alter His mission as the Servant of Yahweh
was a temptation (cf. Matthew 4:8: Luke 4:5). He does not accept the position
of those who mixed the things of God with merely political attitudes (cf. Matthew
22:21; Mark 12:17; John 18:36). [...] The perspective of His mission is much dee-
per. It consists in complete salvation through transforming, peacemaking, pardo-
ning, and reconciling love. There is no doubt, moreover, that all this makes many
demands on the Christian who wishes truly to serve his least brethren, the poor,
the needy, the outcast; in a word, all those who in their lives reflect the sorro-
wing face of the Lord (cf. “Lumen Gentium”, 8)” Bl. John Paul II, “Opening Ad-
dress to the Third General Conference of Latin American Bishops”, 28 January
1979).

Christianity, therefore, must not be confused with any social or political ideology,
however excellent. “I do not approve of committed Christians in the world forming
a political-religious movement. That would be madness, even if it were motivated
by a desire to spread the spirit of Christ in all the activities of men. What we have
to do is put God in the heart of every single person, no matter who he is. Let us
try to speak then in such a way that every Christian is able to bear witness to the
faith he professes by example and word in his own circumstances, which are de-
termined alike by his place in the Church and in civil life, as well as by ongoing
events.

“By the very fact of being a man, a Christian has a full right to live in the world. If
he lets Christ live and reign in his heart, he will feel—quite noticeably — the saving
effectiveness of our Lord in everything he does” (St. J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing
By”, 183).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Readings at Mass

First reading	2 Kings 4:42-44 ©

A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing Elisha, the man of God, bread from the first-fruits, twenty barley loaves and fresh grain in the ear.’ ‘Give it to the people to eat’, Elisha said. But his servant replied, ‘How can I serve this to a hundred men?’ ‘Give it to the people to eat’ he insisted ‘for the Lord says this, “They will eat and have some left over.”’ He served them; they ate and had some left over, as the Lord had said.

Psalm
Psalm 144:10-11,15-18 ©

You open wide your hand, O Lord, and grant our desires.

All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,

and your friends shall repeat their blessing.

They shall speak of the glory of your reign

and declare your might, O God.

You open wide your hand, O Lord, and grant our desires.

The eyes of all creatures look to you

and you give them their food in due time.

You open wide your hand,

grant the desires of all who live.

You open wide your hand, O Lord, and grant our desires.

The Lord is just in all his ways

and loving in all his deeds.

He is close to all who call him,

who call on him from their hearts.

You open wide your hand, O Lord, and grant our desires.

Second reading	Ephesians 4:1-6 ©

I, the prisoner in the Lord, implore you to lead a life worthy of your vocation. Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience. Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together. There is one Body, one Spirit, just as you were all called into one and the same hope when you were called. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God who is Father of all, over all, through all and within all.

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	Lk7:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

A great prophet has appeared among us;

God has visited his people.

Alleluia!

Gospel	John 6:1-15 ©

Jesus went off to the other side of the Sea of Galilee – or of Tiberias – and a large crowd followed him, impressed by the signs he gave by curing the sick. Jesus climbed the hillside, and sat down there with his disciples. It was shortly before the Jewish feast of Passover.

Looking up, Jesus saw the crowds approaching and said to Philip, ‘Where can we buy some bread for these people to eat?’ He only said this to test Philip; he himself knew exactly what he was going to do. Philip answered, ‘Two hundred denarii would only buy enough to give them a small piece each.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said, ‘There is a small boy here with five barley loaves and two fish; but what is that between so many?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Make the people sit down.’ There was plenty of grass there, and as many as five thousand men sat down. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and gave them out to all who were sitting ready; he then did the same with the fish, giving out as much as was wanted. When they had eaten enough he said to the disciples, ‘Pick up the pieces left over, so that nothing gets wasted.’ So they picked them up, and filled twelve hampers with scraps left over from the meal of five barley loaves. The people, seeing this sign that he had given, said, ‘This really is the prophet who is to come into the world.’ Jesus, who could see they were about to come and take him by force and make him king, escaped back to the hills by himself.

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Jesus, High Priest

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.

Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.

Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.

Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.

Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests

This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.

The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.

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Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3. The Lord's Prayer: OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

6. Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary. The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29) [Spiritual fruit - Faith]
2. The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11) [Spiritual fruit - Christian Hope]
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13) [Spiritual fruit - Gifts of the Holy Spirit]
4. The Assumption [Spiritual fruit - To Jesus through Mary]
5. The Coronation [Spiritual fruit - Grace of Final Perseverance]

St. Michael the Archangel

~ PRAYER ~

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+

From an Obama bumper sticker on a car:
"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8"

PLEASE JOIN US - Evening Prayer
Someone has said that if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless.
Did you know that during WWII there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every day at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace?

There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you would like to participate: Every evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central) (7:00 PM Mountain) (6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for a return to a Godly nation. If you know anyone else who would like to participate, please pass this along. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have. Please forward this to your praying friends.

Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ

July Devotion: The Precious Blood

July Devotion: The Precious Blood

Like the Sacred Wounds of Jesus, His Precious Blood deserves special honor because of its close relation to the Sacred Passion. That honor was given to it from the beginning by the Apostles who praised its redeeming power. (Rom. 5:9 "we are justified by His blood"; Heb. 13:12 "and so Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people by His blood, suffered outside the gate"; 1 John 1:7 "and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.")

The Church has always held devotion to the Precious Blood in high esteem. We continue to recognize and publicly acknowledge the profound indebtedness of the whole human race to Christ, Priest and Victim.

Standing at the foot of the cross, we see Jesus' head, hands, feet, and side pouring out streams of precious blood. It is precious because it:

• Redeems us and atones for our sins. Through His precious blood we are reconciled to God, made one with Him. Death ceases to be death and heaven's gates are opened to us.

• Cleanses us from all sin.

• Preserves us and keeps us safe from the grasp of evil. When the Father sees us washed in the Blood of the Lamb we are spared.

• Comforts us. It is the constant reminder that Jesus - true God and true man suffered and died to save us and to open heaven to us because He loves us.

• Sanctifies us. The same blood that justifies by taking away sin, continues to work within us. Its action gives us the grace to continue on the path toward the Kingdom of God. It assists us in achieving our new nature, leading us onward in subduing sin and in following the commands of God.

Jesus shed His precious blood seven times during His life on earth. They events were:

• Jesus shed His Blood in the Circumcision

• Jesus shed His Blood whilst praying in the Garden of Olives

• Jesus shed His Blood in the scourging

• Jesus shed His Blood in the crowning with thorns

• Jesus shed His Blood while carrying His cross

• Jesus shed His Blood in the crucifixion

• Jesus shed His Blood and water when His side was pierced

The Power of the Precious Blood

"I adore You, O Precious Blood of Jesus, flower of creation, fruit of virginity, ineffable instrument of the Holy Spirit, and I rejoice at the thought that You came from the drop of virginal blood on which eternal Love impressed its movement; You were assumed by the Word and deified in His person. I am overcome with emotion when I think of Your passing from the Blessed Virgin's heart into the heart of the Word, and, being vivified by the breath of the Divinity, becoming adorable because You became the Blood of God." (St. Albert the Great)

At their recent meeting, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops had continuous Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for "healing and peace." They encouraged parishes and communities to have ongoing Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. In these dark months of woundedness, pain and violence we need to turn to the Precious Blood of Jesus in the Eucharist, for healing, peace, and light.

"What power we have in the Precious Blood of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist! He is there to protect us, to be our refuge and our redemption. (In Exodus 12, God told Moses to have His chosen people mark their door posts with the blood of an unblemished lamb, during the first Passover. Those who did this were spared when the Angel of the death passed by). This is why Archbishop Sheen said that we must call down the Blood of the Lamb, Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. For, he warned, when we stop calling down the Blood of the Lamb, we start calling down the blood of each other." (From our book Bread of Life)

"And the Lamb on the throne will shepherd them. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water" (Rev 7:17).

"In the tumultuous events of our time, it is important to look to the Eucharist: it must be at the heart of the life of priests and consecrated people; the light and strength of spouses in putting into practice their commitment to fidelity, chastity and the apostolate; the ideal in education and in training children, adolescents and young people; the comfort and support of those who are troubled, of the sick and all who are weeping in the Gethsemane of life." (Pope John Paul II)

Precious Blood of Jesus, save us!

"The only time our Lord asked the Apostles for anything was the night when He went into His agony. But as often in the history of the church since that time, evil was awake, but the disciples were asleep. That is why there came out of His anguished and lonely Heart a sigh: 'Could you not watch one hour with Me?'" (Mt 26:40). Not for an hour of activity did he plead, but for an hour of friendship (Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen).

St. Maria Goretti, Patroness of Youth & Children of Mary, Feast-July 6 St. Maria of Italy (1890-1902), couldn't wait to make her First Communion. She wanted to receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist so that she could become more beautiful and pure like Him; she wanted Him to live in her, close to her heart. After she received Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament for the first time, she stayed in Church for a long time after Mass to talk to Him. Maria's family lived with and worked for a farmer. His son Alessandro kept trying to make Maria sin against purity. One day, when everyone else was working, Alessandro grabbed Maria and tried to make her sin. Maria kept crying out for him to stop, and each time she did, he stabbed her. Courageously, Maria resisted him and was stabbed fourteen times. St. Maria died the next day.

"Look at Maria Goretti.... Like her, be capable of defending your purity of heart and body. Be committed to the struggle against evil and sin. Always esteem and love, purity and virginity." (Pope John Paul II, 1990)

A Prayer for Priests

O my God, help those priests who are faithful to remain faithful; to those who are falling, stretch forth Your Divine Hand that they may grasp it as their support. In the great ocean of Your mercy, lift those poor unfortunate ones who have fallen, that being engulfed therein they may receive the grace to return to Your Great Loving Heart. Amen. Precious Blood of Jesus, protect them!

The Eucharist is the fruit of our Lords Passion. Jesus gave up His Body on the cross so that He may give you His Body in the Holy Eucharist. Jesus poured out His very last drop of Blood on the cross so that He may fill you with His Divine Love each time that you receive Him in Holy Communion and visit Him in Eucharistic Adoration!

"The Eucharist, in the Mass and outside of the Mass, is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, and is therefore deserving of the worship that is given to the living God, and to Him alone" (Pope John Paul II, September 29, 1979, Phoenix Park, Ireland)

"The bread and wine, fruit of human hands, transformed through the power of the Holy Spirit into the body and blood of Christ, become a pledge of the 'new heaven and new earth,' announced by the Church in her daily mission." "In Christ, whom we adore present in the mystery of the Eucharist, the father uttered his final word with regard to humanity and human history." "To live the Eucharist, it is necessary, as well, to spend much time in adoration in front of the Blessed Sacrament, something which I myself experience every day drawing from it strength, consolation and assistance." "How could the Church fulfill her vocation without cultivating a constant relationship with the Eucharist, without nourishing herself with this food which sanctifies, without founding her missionary activity on this indispensable support?" "To evangelize the world there is need of apostles who are 'experts' in the celebration, adoration and contemplation of the Eucharist" (Pope John Paul II, World Mission Message 2004).

The Power of the Precious Blood of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist

"The Precious Blood belongs in an especial manner to men. Much more, therefore, does God invite them to come to its heavenly baths, and receive therein, not only the cleansing of their souls, but the power of a new and amazing life. Every doctrine in theology is a call to the Precious Blood. Every ceremony in the Church tells of it . . . . Every supernatural act is a growth of it. Everything that is holy on earth is either a leaf, bud, blossom or fruit of the Blood of Jesus. To its fountains God calls the sinner, that he may be lightened of his burdens. There is no remission of him in anything else. Only there is his lost sonship to be found. The saints are no less called by God to these invigorating streams. It is out of the Precious Blood that men draw martyrdoms, vocations, celebacies, austerities, heroic charities, and all the magnificent graces of high sanctity. The secret nourishment of prayer is from those fountains" (Father Faber, The Precious Blood).

The Most Precious Blood of Jesus
July is traditionally associated with the Precious Blood of Our Lord. It may be customary to celebrate the votive Mass of the Precious Blood on July 1.

The extraordinary importance of the saving Blood of Christ has ensured a central place for its memorial in the celebration of this cultic mystery: at the centre of the Eucharistic assembly, in which the Church raises up to God in thanksgiving "the cup of blessing" (1 Cor 10, 16; cf Ps 115-116, 13) and offers it to the faithful as a "real communion with the Blood of Christ" (1 Cor 10, 16); and throughout the Liturgical Year. The Church celebrates the saving Blood of Christ not only on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, but also on many other occasions, such that the cultic remembrance of the Blood of our redemption (cf 1 Pt 1, 18) pervades the entire Liturgical Year. Hence, at Vespers during Christmastide, the Church, addressing Christ, sings: "Nos quoque, qui sancto tuo redempti sumus sanguine, ob diem natalis tui hymnum novum concinimus." In the Paschal Triduum, the redemptive significance and efficacy of the Blood of Christ is continuously recalled in adoration. During the adoration of the Cross on Good Friday the Church sings the hymn: "Mite corpus perforatur, sanguis unde profluit; terra, pontus, astra, mundus quo lavanturflumine", and again on Easter Sunday, "Cuius corpus sanctissimum in ara crucis torridum, sed et cruorem roesum gustando, Deo vivimus (194).

Catholic Word of the Day: LITANY OF THE PRECIOUS BLOOD, 09-25-12
ST. GASPAR: Founder of the Society of the Precious Blood
Mass in the Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ (London, 9/18)

Devotion to the Drops of Blood Lost by our Lord Jesus Christ on His Way to Calvary (Prayer/Devotion)
Chaplet of the Most Precious Blood
Catholic Word of the Day: PRECIOUS BLOOD, 12-03-11
The Traditional Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Catholic Caucus)
Devotion to the Precious Blood
DOCTRINE OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,And More on the Precious Blood
Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ
NOTHING IS MORE POTENT AGAINST EVIL THAN PLEADING THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST
Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you" (Jn 6:53).

July 2015
Pope's Intentions
Universal: Politics -- That political responsibility may be lived at all levels as a high form of charity.

Evangelization: The poor in Latin America-- That amid social inequalities, Latin American Christians may bear witness to love for the poor and contribute to a more fraternal society.

Daily Gospel Commentary

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B

Commentary of the day
Saint Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo (North Africa) and Doctor of the Church
Commentary on Saint John’s Gospel, 24,1 ; CCL 36, 244 (trans. ©Friends of Henry Ashworth)

“Who covers the heavens with clouds, who provides rain for the earth; who makes grass sprout on the mountains and herbs for the service of men” (Ps 147[146],8)

The miracles wrought by our Lord Jesus Christ are truly divine works, (which lead the human mind through visible things to a perception of the Godhead. God is not the kind of being that can be seen with the eyes, and small account is taken of the miracles by which he rules the entire universe and governs all creation because they recur so regularly. Scarcely anyone bothers to consider God's marvelous, his amazing artistry in every tiny seed.

And so certain works are excluded from the ordinary course of nature, works which God in his mercy has reserved for himself, so as to perform them at appropriate times. People who hold cheap what they see every day are dumbfounded at the sight of extraordinary works even though they are no more wonderful than the others. Governing the entire universe is a greater miracle than feeding five thousand people with five loaves of bread, yet no one marvels at it… Who is even now providing nourishment for the whole world if not the God who creates a field of wheat from a few seeds?

Christ did what God does. Just as God multiplies a few seeds into a whole field of wheat so Christ multiplied the five loaves in his hands. For there was power in the hands of Christ Those five loaves were like seeds, not because they were cast on the earth but because they were multiplied by the one who made the earth.

Zenit.org

The Miracle Is Born From God’s Faithfulness to Man

Lectio divina: XVII Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Paris, July 24, 2015 (ZENIT.org) Monsignor Francesco Follo | 813 hits

Roman Rite

2 Kings 4.42 to 44; Ps 145; Eph 4, 1-6; Jn 6.1 to 15

Ambrosian Rite

Judges 2, 6-17; Th 2, 1-2. 4-12; Mk 10: 35-45

--

1) Bread to share.

Beginning this Sunday the liturgy interrupts the reading of the Gospel of St. Mark and for five consecutive Sundays (from the Seventeen Sunday up to the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time,) it presents chapter VI of St. John’s Gospel. The reason for this is the willingness to explore the theme of "bread." Chapter VI of St John’s opens with the narration of the miracle of loaves giving us a beautiful example of Jesus’ compassion for those who had followed him to the point of "forgetting" to eat because of their desire to see his miracles and to feed with his word.

To understand today’s Gospel passage let’s once more analyze the context in which this episode happens. Jesus is followed by "a great crowd, seeing the signs he was doing on the sick." People are attracted by the power of the merciful Jesus who cares for the sick and heals them. Jesus, however, is not only a healer, he is the master. For this reason he has climbed on the mountain like Moses, who had climbed Mount Sinai to receive the law of the Lord for Israel. However, Jesus did not go to the mountain to receive the word of God, but to give it. That's why he sits (in the original Greek text: he sits on the chair), not because he is tired, but because this is the attitude of the teacher who, when teaching, sits above his students. After all, Jesus had already done so when he proclaimed the "new law" of the Beatitudes. "He went up on the mountain and sat down; then took the floor, he began to teach "(Mt 5, 1). Also with regard to the Gospel passage of today, it is useful to highlight the time of the year: it was close to Passover. It is spring time. This indication of the time of the year brings us back to the great story of the exodus which began with the first full moon of Spring thousands of years ago, and to the many signs that God had done with Moses for the deliverance of the Jews and on their way to the Promised Land. But the reference to Passover pushes us forward and also symbolically anticipates the gift that Jesus will make of his Body and his Blood at the Last Supper.

The gift of the Bread of Life is to be shared in the same way the bread multiplied by Jesus to feed those who had followed him was shared.

The shared bread teaches care for others and humility in not putting anybody aside, and to trust a God who trusts us and makes us able to distribute bread to a large crowd.

In addition to taking the Bread given to us and shared with us through a charitable life, let us turn to Christ with this prayer "If I want my wounds treated, you're the doctor. If I burn with fever, you are the refreshing spring. If I am overwhelmed with guilt, you are the forgiveness. If I need help, you are the strength. If I fear death, you are the eternal life. If I want heaven, you are life. If I flee darkness, you are the light. If I look for food, you are the nourishment "(St. Ambrose of Milan). In short, we pray to God, "Our Father", so that He may "give us our daily bread" for the body and for the spirit.

If it is a miracle to feed thousands of people with few loaves of bread, it is a greater miracle to give the bread of truth and of joy. This is the true Bread, the Bread of Truth to share with those who hunger for justice.

It is the Bread multiplied by the One who at the Last Supper will be the Bread of Life. The greatest miracle is not to feed a crowd, but to show the glory of God revealed in Jesus, the Word made flesh, the Word made Eucharistic food for Christians. In fact, the passage of today's Gospel tells us that Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks and distributed them: three verbs that connect us to each Mass.

While the disciples were distributing the bread there was no shortage of it, and as this shared bread was passed from one hand to another it remained in each hand.

2) Bread of mercy.

On that day, Jesus had compassion for them because He is made of the same love of the Father and the mercy of God was manifested talking to the crowd and satisfying their hunger.

Today, loving us beyond measure, Christ multiplies the Bread of Life for us. In the sacrament of the Eucharist Jesus becomes food for real life, we are happy for the mercy received.

On this Sunday, the sign of mercy and compassion of Jesus Christ is the story of the loaves multiplied and shared that helps us to understand that Christ gives us himself and his life offering himself to us as Eucharist bread. He, who thanked the Father, blessed and broke the material bread given to him by a child, lets himself be broken for us as spiritual bread. By eating of this Bread, the Eucharistic Body of Christ which is "God's incarnate mercy" (Pope Francis), we too become mercy.

The Eucharistic meal, therefore, is not an action to watch but it is a gesture to live. To take communion is not only to receive and be sanctified by the presence of Christ, it is to open our hearts to bring to the altar the "yes" of our love for God. It is to open our hands to our brothers and sisters who are hungry, and that we must help with material and spiritual works of mercy. But let's not forget that the first and greatest mercy is to teach the truth and to give true things, because "good is the truth, and the promotion of truth comes from love" (Cardinal Giacomo Biffi).

A significant example of how to live mercy is offered by the consecrated Virgins who are "the flowers of the tree that is the Church" (St. Ambrose of Milan).

Indeed, the consecrated Virgins in the world are called to be and to implement this mercy, to be its image and to be able to offer it with a life of patient vigilance in prayer, attention, discretion and confidentiality. This is because the virginal vocation is in deep relationship with the mystery of the Eucharist. “ In the Eucharist, consecrated virginity finds inspiration and nourishment for its complete dedication to Christ. From the Eucharist, moreover, it draws encouragement and strength to be a sign, in our own times too, of God's gracious and fruitful love for humanity. Finally, by its specific witness, consecrated life becomes an objective sign and foreshadowing of the "wedding feast of the Lamb" (Rev 19:7-9) which is the goal of all salvation history. In this sense, it points to that eschatological horizon against which the choices and life decisions of every man and woman should be situated."(Sacramentum Caritatis, 81).

Imitating the Virgin Mary, these virgin women are witnesses of the truth of the Magnificat: "He has done great things for me, and holy is his name: from generation to generation his mercy is on those who fear him", which can be paraphrased “I have been made great by the One who is mighty and whose name is holy, because the Divine Power worked the miracle of virginity and His infinite holiness filled it with thanks." The virginal choir responds praising the mercy of God that through Mary Virgin and Mother, passed from generation to generation, making bloom in the mud of the world the flowers of holy virginity that fill with their perfume earth and heaven. Virginity is to follow Jesus; it is not renunciation to love, but to let themselves be fully taken by Love, as taught by St. Ambrose of Milan "Consecrated Virgin seek Christ in your light, that is in good thoughts and good deeds. In your nights, look for him in your room, because even at night He comes and knocks on your door. He wants to see you alert at all times, he wants to find the door of your soul open. And there is also another door that He wants to find open: he wants that your mouth opens and sings the praise and the profession of faith in the cross, while in your room you repeat the Creed and sing the psalms. When he comes, let Him find you awake and prepared. Let your body sleep, but your faith be vigilant; let the lure of senses sleep, but let the prudence of heart be vigilant. Let your limbs smell of the cross of Christ and of the fragrance of his burial "(Concerning Virgins).

--

Patristic Reading

Saint Augustin

Sermo 80

On the words of the gospel, Jn 6,9 where the miracle of the five loaves and the two fishes is related.

1. It was a great miracle that was wrought, dearly beloved, for five thousand men to be filled with five loaves and two fishes, and the remnants of the fragments to fill twelve baskets. A great miracle: but we shall not wonder much at what was done, if we give heed to Him That did it. He multiplied the five loaves in the hands of them that brake them, who multiplieth the seeds that grow in the earth, so as that a few grains are sown, and whole barns are filled. But, because he doth this every year, no one marvels. Not the inconsiderableness1 of what is done, but its constancy takes away admiration of it. But when the Lord did these things, He spake to them that had understanding, not by words only, but even by the miracles themselves. The five loaves signified the five books of Moses’ Law. The old Law is barley compared to the Gospel wheat. In those books are great mysteries concerning Christ contained. Whence He saith Himself, “If ye had believed Moses, ye would believe Me also ; for he wrote of Me. “2 But as in barley the marrow is hid under the chaff, so in the veil of the mysteries of the Law is Christ hidden. As those mysteries of the Law are developed and unfolded; so too those loaves increased when they were broken. And in this that I have explained to you, I have broken bread unto you. The five thousand men signify the people ordered under the five books of the Law. The twelve baskets are the twelve Apostles, who themselves too were filled with the fragments of the Law. The two fishes are either the two precepts of the love of God and our neighbour, or the two people of the circumcision and uncircumcision, or those two sacred personages of the king and the priest. As these things are explained, they are broken; when they are understood, they are eaten.

2. Let us turn to Him who did these things He is Himself “The Bread which came down from heaven;”3 but Bread which refresheth the failing, and doth not fail; Bread which can be tasted,4 cannot be wasted. This Bread did the manna also figure. Wherefore it is said, “He gave them the Bread of heaven, man ate Angels’ Bread.”5 Who is the Bread of heaven, but Christ? But in order that man might eat Angels’ Bread, the Lord of Angels was made Man. For if He had not been made Man, we should not have His Flesh; if we had not His Flesh, we should not eat the Bread of the Altar. Let us hasten to the inheritance, seeing we have hereby received a great earnest of it. My brethren, let us long for the life of Christ, seeing we hold as an earnest the Death of Christ. How shall He not give us His good things, who hath suffered our evil things? In this our earth, in this evil world, what abounds, but to be born, to labour, and to die? Examine thoroughly man’s estate, convict me if I lie : consider all men whether they are in this world for any other end than to be born, to labour, and to die? This is the merchandize of our country: these things here abound. To such merchandize did that Merchantman descend. And forasmuch as every merchant gives and receives; gives what he has, and receives what hehas not; when he procures anything, he gives money, and receives what he buys: so Christ too in this His traffic gave and received. But what received He? That which aboundeth here, to be born, to labour, and to die, And what did He give? To be born again, to rise again, and to reign for ever. O Good Merchant, buy us. Why should I say buy us, when we ought to give Thee thanks that Thou hast bought us? Thou dost deal out our Price to us, we drink Thy Blood; so dost thou deal out to us our Price. And we read the Gospel, our title6 deed. We are Thy servants, we are Thy creatures: Thou hast made us, Thou hast redeemed us. Any one can buy his servant, create him he cannot; but the Lord hath both created and redeemed His servants; created them, that they might be; redeemed them, that they might not be captives ever. For we fell into the hands of the prince of this world, who seduced Adam, and made him his servant, and began to possess us as his slaves. But the Redeemer came, and the seducer was overcome. And what did our Redeemer to him who held us captive? For our ransom he held out His Cross as a trap; he placed in It as a bait His Blood. He indeed had power to shed His Blood, he did not attain7 to drink it. And in that he shed the Blood of Him who was no debtor, he was commanded to render up the debtors; he shed the Blood of the Innocent, he was commanded to withdraw from the guilty. He verily shed His Blood to this end, that He might wipe out our sins. That then whereby he held us fast was effaced by the Redeemer’s Blood. For he only held us fast by the bonds of our own sins. They were the captive’s chains. He came, He bound the strong one with the bonds of His Passion; He entered into his house8 into the hearts, that is, of those where he did dwell, and took away his vessels. We are his vessels. He had filled then with his own bitterness. This bitterness too he pledged to our Redeemer in the gall. He had filled us then as his vessels; but our Lord spoiling his vessels, and making them His Own, poured out the bitterness, filled them with sweetness.