Daily Readings - Sun Jul 25 2021
2 Kings
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.
Ephesians
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.
John
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on trust in God's providence and the importance of unity in our communities. In the First Reading, Elisha, with unwavering faith, instructs his servant to feed a multitude with a seemingly insufficient supply of bread. Through obedience and trust, God's abundance is revealed, leaving plenty remaining. This miracle prefigures the Gospel, where Jesus feeds the 5000 with just five loaves and two fish, demonstrating His divine power and care for His people. Both stories highlight the transformative power of faith and trust in God's plan.
The Second Reading from Ephesians emphasizes the unity of the Spirit, urging believers to live humbly, patiently, and charitably, preserving the oneness that binds us. This unity is mirrored in the Gospel as the crowd comes together, united by their need and faith in Jesus. The leftovers from the feeding symbolize God's overflowing grace, reminding us that our efforts, though small, can yield abundant results when surrendered to Him.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to trust in God's provision, even when resources seem scarce, and to strive for unity in our communities. Just as the boy's humble offering became the source of abundance, our small acts of faith and love can have a profound impact. Let us embrace humility, patience, and charity, allowing God to work through us and bring people together in His name. Through faith and unity, we experience the richness of God's love and provision.