Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 29, 2018
First Reading: 2 Kings 4.42-44
42And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat.43And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the LORD, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof.44So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the LORD.
Psalm 145
1I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.2Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.3Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.4One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.5I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.6And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.7They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.8The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.9The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.10All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.11They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;12To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.13Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.14The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.15The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.16Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.17The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.18The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.19He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.20The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.21My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.
Second Reading: Ephesians 4.1-6
1I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,2With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;3Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;5One Lord, one faith, one baptism,6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Gospel: John 6.1-15
1After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.2And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.3And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.4And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.5When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?6And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.7Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,9There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?10And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.11And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.12When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.13Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.14Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.15When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful themes of faith, abundance, and unity, each woven together by the thread of trust in God's providence. The first reading from 2 Kings presents Elisha, a prophet who, despite the servant's doubt, trusts in God's abundance. The meager offerings of bread are not only sufficient but leave leftovers, illustrating that faith in God's provision can surpass human expectations.
The second reading from Ephesians shifts focus to the unity of the Church, urging believers to live with humility and patience. Paul emphasizes that there is one body and one Spirit, highlighting the importance of harmony among Christians. This unity is not just a ideal but a reflection of our shared faith and calling.
In the Gospel, John recounts the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000, where Jesus transforms a boy's humble offerings into a feast for thousands. This miracle is a testament to Jesus's divine care and the power of gratitude and generosity. It reminds us that even our meager resources can be more than enough when placed in God's hands.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own lives. Like Elisha and Jesus, we are called to trust in God's abundance, even when faced with doubt or scarcity. We are also reminded of the importance of unity and humility within our communities. Let us embrace these teachings by living with faith, generosity, and a commitment to harmony, trusting that God will multiply our efforts and sustain us in all we do.