Daily Readings - Sun Jun 19 2022
Genesis
18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.19And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:20And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
1 Corinthians
23For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:24And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.25After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.26For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
Luke
11And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.12And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.13But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.14For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.15And they did so, and made them all sit down.16Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.17And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful narratives that weave together themes of trust, divine provision, and the sacred meal. The story of Melchizedek in Genesis introduces us to a priest-king who offers bread and wine, prefiguring the Eucharistic sacrifice. This ancient ritual points to the deeper reality of God's presence and provision, setting the stage for the ultimate sacrifice of Christ.
In 1 Corinthians, Paul recounts the institution of the Eucharist, where Jesus takes bread and wine, giving them new meaning as His body and blood. This sacred meal is not just a remembrance but a living encounter with Christ, sustaining us on our journey. It calls us to gratitude and recognition of God's abiding presence in our lives.
The Gospel from Luke illustrates Jesus' compassion and power as He feeds the multitude with scarce resources. This miracle is more than a display of might; it's an invitation to trust in God's providence. Just as the disciples learned to rely on Jesus, we too are called to trust in His abundance, even in times of scarcity. Let us approach each day with faith, remembering that God's grace can transform our meager offerings into abundant life.