Search
Our Sunday Reflection - August 18, 2024
-
-
"Taste and see the goodness of the Lord."
Psalm 34
-
-
-
Introduction to the Liturgy of the Day
What a wonderful gift we have been given by our Lord! He has given himself—his very flesh and blood—for the life of the world. We are invited to this place each Sunday to receive this wondrous gift, which sustains us and nourishes us on our journey to God’s kingdom. How appropriate that the Greek word for this meal—eukharistia—means thanksgiving, reminding us how eternally thankful we are for the op- portunity to receive the Body of Christ, our bread of life.Introduction to the Liturgy of the Word
“Taste and see the goodness of the Lord,” we sing in the psalm today, an invitation to the sumptuous banquet God lays out for us. Wisdom provides one of her own in the first reading, presenting knowledge and understanding as a meal we’re all invited to eat. Calling himself the living bread come down from heaven, Jesus invites us all to eat his f lesh and drink his blood, as we do in the Eucharist. As Paul advises the Ephesians, we give thanks always for this meal in which we physically taste and see the goodness of the Lord.Reflections
- In Proverbs, the author writes that Wisdom invites people from all over the city to a banquet. She promises that those with foolish thinking (you know who they are!) will gain understanding. In other words, the food she offers is herself, wisdom. In the Gospel, Jesus offers himself, “the living bread that came down from heaven,” for the crowds to eat (John 6:51). Like Wisdom, he sets a banquet and invites everyone to feed on himself. Between digesting the Word and receiving the Eucharist, we can have both understanding and eternal life within us.
- Paul tells the Ephesians to “try to understand what is the will of the Lord” (5:17). Sometimes that’s difficult. It’s often challenging to discern the right thing to do or to decide upon a direction to move. Paul goes on to tell them, “do not get drunk on wine . . . but be filled with the Spirit” (5:18). Sound advice! We should do the same, becoming conscious of the Holy Spirit within us, for the Holy Spirit can guide us on the right path.
- If it seems as if we’ve been hearing about Jesus as the Bread of Life for a few weeks now, you’re absolutely right! John obviously thought that this teaching was quite important. Perhaps not coincidentally, John is the only evangelist who doesn’t write about Jesus offering his Body and Blood at the Last Supper. This chapter takes its place. Keep in mind that this lecture to his disciples took place before the Last Supper. Therefore, the Last Supper is actually Jesus’ opportunity to remind the disciples of when he said they must eat his flesh and drink his blood and that then he would remain in them and give them life. His disciples believed in him, they followed him, and they obeyed him, but Jesus tells them that they must do more. They must consume him and truly take him into themselves.
Question of the Week
Do I look to the Holy Spirit for guidance? Do I take the time to discern God’s will? Will I add that to my decision-making process now?
-from Pastoral Patterns
-
readings of the mass
LISTEN HERE to the Audio Recordings of the Readings of Sunday, August 18, 2024
SELECT HERE for the Readings of Sunday, August 18, 2024
-
Offerings
The Sunday offerings are a portion of our blessings that we give to God (Church) in gratitude to what God has done for us...ONLINE GIVING OPTIONS -
Reflections on the readings
-
-
-
-
News from the Vatican
-
29 minutes agoParticipants in the ongoing Synod of Bishops on Synodality have said that while questions surrounding the role of women in the church are important, they can be distracting from other key issues on... -
yesterdayAhead of the one-year anniversary of a Hamas attack on Israel that sparked a full-blown war in Gaza that has spiraled into a broader regional conflict, a Lebanese prelate has asked that individual... -
yesterdayPope Francis Sunday announced a consistory in December for the creation of 21 new cardinals from all over the world, representing yet again the pope’s love of the peripheries, and his inclination to...
-
-