Daily Readings - Sun Jun 23 2019
Genesis
18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.)19And he blessed him and said, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;20and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!"And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
1 Corinthians
23For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,24and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me."25In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."26For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
Luke
11When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing.12Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, "Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place."13But he said to them, "You give them something to eat." They said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish--unless we are to go and buy food for all these people."14For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each."15And they did so, and had them all sit down.16And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.17And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter three distinct yet interconnected narratives that guide us toward a deeper understanding of faith, trust, and gratitude. The first reading from Genesis introduces Melchizedek, a priest-king who offers bread and wine, prefiguring the Eucharistic sacrifice. This ancient ritual underscores the theme of divine provision and the role of the priestly figure in mediating God's blessings.
The second reading from 1 Corinthians shifts our focus to the institution of the Eucharist by Jesus at the Last Supper. Paul's account emphasizes the sacred nature of this meal, where bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ, symbolizing the new covenant. This passage invites us to reflect on the Eucharist as a source of spiritual nourishment and a call to unity and remembrance of Christ's sacrifice.
In the Gospel, Luke recounts the miracle of the feeding of the 5000, where Jesus transforms five loaves and two fish into an abundance of food. This act of multiplication not only demonstrates Jesus' divine power but also highlights His compassion and willingness to provide for those in need. The leftovers, twelve baskets, remind us of God's generosity and the call to share our resources with others.
These readings weave together themes of trust in divine providence and the importance of gratitude. Just as the disciples trusted Jesus with their meager resources, we are encouraged to trust in God's plan, even in times of uncertainty. The Eucharist, as a gift from God, invites us to live with gratitude, recognizing the abundance of God's love and mercy.
As we reflect on these readings, let us embrace a life of generosity and thanksgiving. May we, like Melchizedek and Jesus, be instruments of God's grace, sharing our blessings with others and trusting in His providence. Let us approach the Eucharist with reverence, remembering Christ's sacrifice, and live each day with hearts full of gratitude and hands ready to serve.