Daily Readings - Sun Aug 12 2018

⁴But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers."⁵And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, "Arise and eat."⁶And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again.⁷And the angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, "Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you."⁸And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.

Ephesians

Chapter 4

³⁰And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.³¹Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.³²Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Chapter 5

¹Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.²And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

John

Chapter 6

⁴¹So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."⁴²They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?"⁴³Jesus answered them, "Do not grumble among yourselves.⁴⁴No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.⁴⁵It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me--⁴⁶not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.⁴⁷Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.⁴⁸I am the bread of life.⁴⁹Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.⁵⁰This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.⁵¹I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."

Sermon

In the first reading, Elijah finds himself in the depths of despair, exhausted and wanting to end his life. Yet, in his darkest moment, God provides an angel who nourishes him with bread and water, giving him the strength to journey to Mount Horeb. This story reminds us of God's unwavering care, even in our most desperate times, offering sustenance and hope when we feel we cannot go on. The second reading from Ephesians encourages us to live in a way that reflects God's love. We are called to let go of bitterness and anger, embracing kindness, mercy, and forgiveness. This passage invites us to imitate God by walking in love, just as Christ did through His ultimate sacrifice. It connects to Elijah's story by highlighting the importance of living in harmony with others, sustained by God's grace. In the Gospel, Jesus identifies Himself as the living bread come down from heaven, offering eternal life to those who believe. Despite the murmuring of the crowd, Jesus emphasizes that His Father draws people to Him, promising that those who come will never hunger or thirst. This ties together the themes of divine provision and the call to live in love, showing Jesus as the ultimate source of our spiritual nourishment. In our daily lives, these readings remind us to trust in God's providence, especially in times of weariness. They encourage us to live with love and kindness, reflecting God's nature, and to find our strength in Jesus, the Bread of Life. Through faith and trust, we are called to embody God's love and find eternal life in Him.