Daily Readings - Sun Jun 11 2023

²And you shall remember the entire journey along which the Lord your God led you, for forty years through the desert, to afflict you, and to test you, and to make known the things that were turning in your soul, whether or not you would keep his commandments³He afflicted you with need, and he gave you Manna as your food, which neither you nor your fathers knew, so as to reveal to you that it is not by bread alone that man lives, but by every word that goes forth from the mouth of God¹⁴your heart might be lifted up, and you might not remember the Lord your God, who led you away from the land of Egypt, from the house of servitude¹⁵and who was your leader in the great and terrible wilderness, in which there was the serpent with a burning breath, and the scorpion, and the snake of thirst, and no waters at all. He led streams out of the hardest rock¹⁶and he nourished you in the wilderness with Manna, which your fathers had not known. And after he had afflicted and tested you, in the very end, he took pity on you

1 Corinthians

Chapter 10

¹⁶The cup of benediction that we bless, is it not a communion in the Blood of Christ? And the bread that we break, is it not a participation in the Body of the Lord¹⁷Through the one bread, we, though many, are one body: all of us who are partakers of the one bread

John

Chapter 6

⁵¹I am the living bread, who descended from heaven. If anyone eats from this bread, he shall live in eternity. And the bread that I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.⁵²Therefore, the Jews debated among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?⁵³And so, Jesus said to them: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you⁵⁴Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day⁵⁵For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink⁵⁶Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him⁵⁷Just as the living Father has sent me and I live because of the Father, so also whoever eats me, the same shall live because of me⁵⁸This is the bread that descends from heaven. It is not like the manna that your fathers ate, for they died. Whoever eats this bread shall live forever.⁵⁹He said these things when he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum

Sermon

In today's readings, we journey through the wilderness of faith, the mystery of the Eucharist, and the profound gift of Jesus as the living bread. The first reading from Deuteronomy reminds us of the Israelites' wilderness experience, where God tested their faith with manna, teaching them that true sustenance comes from His word. This historical context highlights the theme of trust and dependence on God amidst trials. The second reading from 1 Corinthians shifts our focus to the Eucharist, a sacrament that unites us in Christ's body and blood, symbolizing our unity as one body in faith. This passage emphasizes the communal aspect of our spiritual nourishment, drawing us into a deeper understanding of communion. In the Gospel, John presents Jesus as the living bread, offering eternal life through His flesh and blood. This transcends the physical manna, pointing to the ultimate spiritual sustenance that only Christ can provide. Together, these readings weave a narrative from physical to spiritual nourishment, underscoring the progression of God's revelation. In our daily lives, these teachings invite us to trust God during life's challenges, just as the Israelites trusted Him in the wilderness. The Eucharist becomes our spiritual nourishment, strengthening us and uniting us in community. As we reflect, we realize that our spiritual life is as vital as our physical life, requiring us to nourish it through prayer, sacraments, and shared faith. Let us embrace this truth, finding life and unity in Christ, the true bread from heaven.