Daily Readings - Sun Aug 05 2018
Exodus
2In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron.3The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the LORD's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death."4Then the LORD said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.12"I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, 'At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.'"13That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.14When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor.15When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat.31The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey.
Ephesians
17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.20You, however, did not come to know Christ that way.21Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;23to be made new in the attitude of your minds;24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
John
24Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.25When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"26Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.27Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."28Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"29Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."30So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?31Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"32Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.33For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."34"Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."35Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through the story of God's provision and the call to spiritual renewal. The first reading from Exodus recounts the Israelites' murmuring in the wilderness, where God miraculously provides manna, a bread from heaven, to sustain them. This act of divine provision is a prefiguration of the Eucharist, highlighting God's faithfulness and care for His people.
The second reading from Ephesians shifts our focus to spiritual renewal. It urges us to set aside our old selves and embrace the new creation in Christ, living in truth and holiness. This spiritual transformation is essential for understanding the deeper meaning of God's provision, moving beyond physical needs to spiritual hunger.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus reveals Himself as the true bread of life, satisfying not just physical hunger but the deepest longings of our souls. He invites us to seek eternal life, offered through Him. The crowd's pursuit of Jesus after the feeding of the 5,000 mirrors our own search for meaning and fulfillment, which only He can provide.
These readings remind us that our daily lives should be rooted in trust and gratitude for God's provision. Just as the Israelites relied on manna, we are called to trust in Jesus, the Bread of Life. Spiritual renewal involves recognizing our hunger for God and seeking nourishment in prayer, sacraments, and service. The moral lesson is clear: our deepest hunger is for God, and only in Jesus do we find true satisfaction and eternal life.