Acts 6:8-15
Psalm 119
John 6:22-29
Worship Song
Entrance
Antiphon
The Good Shepherd is risen! He who
laid down his life for his sheep, who died for his flock, he is risen,
alleluia!
Opening
Prayer
God our Father, your light of truth
guides us to the way of Christ. May all who follow him reject what is contrary
to the gospel. We ask this…
Alleluia
Alleluia, alleluia. One does not live
on bread alone but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
Alleluia, alleluia. (Matthew 4:4b)
The Bread of
Life
22The
next day, the crowd that remained across the sea saw that there had been only
one boat there, and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the
boat, but only his disciples had left. 23Other boats came from Tiberias near the place
where they had eaten the bread when the Lord gave thanks. 24When the crowd saw that neither
Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to
Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25And when they found him across the sea they said to him,
“Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26Jesus answered them and said, “Amen,
amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but
because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27Do
not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father,
God, has set his seal.” 28So they said
to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” 29Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God,
that you believe in the one he sent.”
Reflection
“Do not work
for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life.” ~ Jesus
in v. 27
There are over
7 billion people in the world. About a billion of these people suffer from
chronic physical hunger and malnutrition.
We have heard
the statistic so often that it no longer makes a great impact on us. But there
is a more frightening statistic about hunger that is never mentioned. It’s the statistic that of the seven billion
people in the world, perhaps six billion or more are suffering from chronic
spiritual hunger and malnutrition.
This is the
point Jesus makes in today’s gospel. That’s why he tells the people to seek not
just “body” food but also “soul” food – “food that endures for eternal life.”
To what extent
might we be suffering from chronic spiritual hunger and malnutrition? Chronic
spiritual hunger is more of a threat to modern society than is chronic physical
hunger and malnutrition.
Reflection Credits: Fr. Mark Link, SJ; Daily
Homilies, slightly adapted
Prayer Response
Lord Jesus,
there is so much work to do in your vineyard but we do not have enough workers.
On top of that, our society is turning to nihilistic, relativistic, and
materialistic values. What shall we do? We need your presence not only in our
lives but in our society as well. Help us see that, Lord, and give us the
strength, the courage, and the motivation to keep on going when we feel
discouraged.
Suggested Action
Why spend
money on things that you don’t really need or can do without? Consider making a
contribution to your parish or community’s social work and evangelization
program.
“Every human
heart – from a teenager playing computer games to a taxi driver waiting for a
passenger – has a spiritual void that only Infinite Love can satisfy.” ~ Anonymous
Silencing
We
cannot know God unless we have listened to him in the silence of our hearts.
Rest in the loving arms of the Lord with an open mind and an open heart.
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