Thank you to our lovely Preschool who have given us the important task of keeping their sunflowers alive until they return in September.
Simon was out watering them for us today - thanks Simon.
They are starting to open up and look beautiful!
1st Reading from the book of Exodus 16: 2-4, 12-15. Exodus is the story of God and God’s people, who are first freed from oppression in Egypt, who are then formed into his chosen people in the desert. God is the prime person who is in dialogue with the people of Israel, with Moses caught between the two. Exodus is quite clear that there is only one God, and this is made abundantly clear by God’s victory over Pharoah. The title is Greek and means “going out”, or “exit”. Our extract takes place after they have come out of Egypt and are wandering in the desert. They have a shortage of food and start to complain against Moses and Aaron. God instructs Moses to tell the people that it was a test to see if they could walk in God’s Laws, so God sends quails who must have been migrating and came down to rest, which enables the people to catch and eat their meat, then in the mornings they could go out and collect a fine powdery substance which will suffice for bread and sustain them until such time as they come into areas where food can be harvested. It was called “manna” a corruption of “man hu?” meaning “What is that?” It became “bread from heaven”. This reading sets the theme for today, feeding with bread from heaven, the Eucharist is the way Jesus will interpret the giving of himself to us, as our sustenance for the journey of life. The Bread of Angels.
Psalm 77: 3-4, 23-25, 54. This psalm is an instruction on learning from the history of God’s people. It is a thumb nail sketch the happenings of the people of Israel with God. This selection is highlighting God feeding the people in the wilderness. This is an instruction to trawl through Holy Scripture to constantly remind ourselves of the greatness and caring of our God.
2nd Reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians 4: 17, 20-24.
Here Paul is instructing us how to behave within the Body of Christ, his Church. We are to put off the desires that surround us and encourage us to participate in. The world has little to offer compared with following God’s way which will guide us to goodness and holiness in the truth. Our model is Jesus who illustrated and taught us how to behave. We need to go from Gospel to life, and life to Gospel, a constant toing and froing till we become more Christlike.
The Holy Gospel according to John 6: 24-35.
This starts with the people asking Jesus when he came to this place? If you remember, Jesus had just run off to avoid being taken and made King. He scolds them for only looking for a free handout of bread, the bread that does not last. Work for the food that endures to eternal life, the kind of food that the Son of Man is offering. Then there is this demand for a sign! God gave our fathers bread from heaven to eat, what sign can you give so we should believe in you? Now Jesus has brought them to the point that he wants to teach them about the coming Eucharist. “It wasn’t Moses who fed the people but God”, says Jesus. Then he explains that the bread God gives comes down from heaven and brings life to the world. “Give us that bread always “, they clammer. This is where Jesus has wanted to bring them to this amazing statement, “I AM the bread of Life. He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never thirst.” This startled them, and Jesus will be disappointed at the way a lot of his followers found this intolerable language. Jesus with the “I AM”, is adopting the position of God. That was astounding for Jews to hear and throws them into confusion and disbelief. We have the benefit of the whole Gospel in our hearts so the full import of this moment flows over us without the shock waves this statement would bring.
God, Our Father, grace us to always trust and believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Deacon Vincent
No comments:
Post a Comment