Daily Readings - Sun Aug 01 2021

²And the entire congregation of the sons of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness³And the sons of Israel said to them: "If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat around bowls of meat and ate bread until filled. Why have you led us away, into this desert, so that you might kill the entire multitude with famine?⁴Then the Lord said to Moses: "Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Let the people go out and collect what is sufficient for each day, so that I may test them, as to whether or not they will walk in my law¹²"I have heard the murmuring of the sons of Israel. Say to them: ‘In the evening, you will eat flesh, and in the morning, you will be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ¹³Therefore, it happened in the evening: quails, rising up, covered the camp. Likewise, in the morning, a dew lay all around the camp¹⁴And when it had covered the face of the earth, it appeared, in the wilderness, small and as if crushed with a pestle, similar to hoar-frost on the ground¹⁵When the sons of Israel had seen it, they said one to another: "Manhu?" which means "What is this?" For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them: "This is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat³¹And the house of Israel called its name ‘Manna.’ It was like white coriander seed, and its taste was like wheat flour with honey

Ephesians

Chapter 4

¹⁷And so, I say this, and I testify in the Lord: that from now on you should walk, not as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind²⁰But this is not what you have learned in Christ²¹For certainly, you have listened to him, and you have been instructed in him, according to the truth that is in Jesus²²to set aside your earlier behavior, the former man, who was corrupted, by means of desire, unto error²³and so be renewed in the spirit of your mind²⁴and so put on the new man, who, in accord with God, is created in justice and in the holiness of truth

John

Chapter 6

²⁴Therefore, when the crowd had seen that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they climbed into the small boats, and they went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus²⁵And when they had found him across the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?²⁶Jesus answered them and said: "Amen, amen, I say to you, you seek me, not because you have seen signs, but because you have eaten from the bread and were satisfied²⁷Do not work for food that perishes, but for that which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him.²⁸Therefore, they said to him, "What should we do, so that we may labor in the works of God?²⁹Jesus responded and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he sent.³⁰And so they said to him: "Then what sign will you do, so that we may see it and believe in you? What will you work³¹Our fathers ate manna in the desert, just as it has been written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ³²Therefore, Jesus said to them: "Amen, amen, I say to you, Moses did not give you bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven³³For the bread of God is he who descends from heaven and gives life to the world.³⁴And so they said to him, "Lord, give us this bread always.³⁵Then Jesus said to them: "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst

Sermon

In today's readings, we journey through the narrative of God's provision and the call to live a life transformed by faith. The First Reading from Exodus recounts the Israelites' experience in the wilderness, where their complaints of hunger lead to God's miraculous provision of manna. This bread from heaven sustains them physically, a tangible sign of God's presence and care. The Second Reading from Ephesians shifts focus to the spiritual realm, urging believers to shed old, corrupt ways and embrace a new life in Christ, characterized by holiness and truth. The Gospel from John elevates this theme as Jesus, having fed the multitude, reveals Himself as the true bread from heaven, offering eternal life to all who believe. The connection between these readings is profound. The manna in Exodus was a temporary solution to a physical need, while Jesus presents Himself as the eternal solution to humanity's spiritual hunger. Paul's letter to the Ephesians bridges these two, emphasizing that living as new creations in Christ is only possible through faith in Him. This progression from physical to spiritual underscores the Christian life's essence: trusting in God's provision beyond the immediate and seeking nourishment for the soul. Applying this to our daily lives, we are reminded to trust in God's providence, even when circumstances seem uncertain. Just as the Israelites had to gather manna daily, we must seek spiritual nourishment through prayer, scripture, and the Eucharist. The moral lesson is clear: our ultimate satisfaction comes not from earthly comforts but from a deep, abiding relationship with Christ. Let us approach each day with spiritual hunger, seeking to be transformed by His grace, and living as witnesses to the eternal life He offers.