Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 1, 2021
First Reading: Exodus 16.2-4, 12-15, 31a
2And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:3And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.4Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.12I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God.13And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host.14And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.15And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.31And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.
Psalm 78
1Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.2I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:3Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.4We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.5For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:6That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:7That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:8And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.9The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.10They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;11And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.12Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.13He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.14In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.15He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.16He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.17And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.18And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.19Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?20Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?21Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;22Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:23Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,24And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.25Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.26He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.27He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:28And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.29So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;30They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,31The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.32For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.33Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.34When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.35And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.36Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.37For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.38But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.39For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.40How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!41Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.42They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.43How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:44And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.45He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.46He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.47He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.48He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.49He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.50He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;51And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:52But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.53And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.54And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.55He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.56Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:57But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.58For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.59When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:60So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;61And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.62He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.63The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.64Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.65Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.66And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.67Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:68But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.69And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.70He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:71From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.72So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.
Second Reading: Ephesians 4.17, 20-24
17This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,20But ye have not so learned Christ;21If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:22That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;24And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Gospel: John 6.24-35
24When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.25And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?26Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.27Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.28Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.30They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?31Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.32Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.33For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.34Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.35And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through the narrative of God's provision and the call to live a life transformed by faith. The First Reading from Exodus recounts the Israelites' experience in the wilderness, where their complaints of hunger lead to God's miraculous provision of manna. This bread from heaven sustains them physically, a tangible sign of God's presence and care. The Second Reading from Ephesians shifts focus to the spiritual realm, urging believers to shed old, corrupt ways and embrace a new life in Christ, characterized by holiness and truth. The Gospel from John elevates this theme as Jesus, having fed the multitude, reveals Himself as the true bread from heaven, offering eternal life to all who believe.
The connection between these readings is profound. The manna in Exodus was a temporary solution to a physical need, while Jesus presents Himself as the eternal solution to humanity's spiritual hunger. Paul's letter to the Ephesians bridges these two, emphasizing that living as new creations in Christ is only possible through faith in Him. This progression from physical to spiritual underscores the Christian life's essence: trusting in God's provision beyond the immediate and seeking nourishment for the soul.
Applying this to our daily lives, we are reminded to trust in God's providence, even when circumstances seem uncertain. Just as the Israelites had to gather manna daily, we must seek spiritual nourishment through prayer, scripture, and the Eucharist. The moral lesson is clear: our ultimate satisfaction comes not from earthly comforts but from a deep, abiding relationship with Christ. Let us approach each day with spiritual hunger, seeking to be transformed by His grace, and living as witnesses to the eternal life He offers.