Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 19, 2018
First Reading: Proverbs 9.1-6
1Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars.2She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.3She has sent out her maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city.4"Let all who are simple come in here!" she says to those who lack judgment.5"Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed.6Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.
Psalm 34
1I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.2My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.3Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.4I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.5Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.6This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.7The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.8Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.9Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.10The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.11Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.12Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,13keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.14Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.15The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry;16the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.17The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.18The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.19A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;20he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.21Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.22The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.
Second Reading: Ephesians 5.15-20
15Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise,16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel: John 6.51-58
51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."52Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"53Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.57Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.58This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful invitations to embrace spiritual nourishment and wisdom. The first reading from Proverbs personifies Wisdom as a gracious host who has prepared a feast, urging the simple and the unwise to come and partake in her offerings. This imagery calls us to seek understanding and prudence, leaving behind childish ways. The second reading from Ephesians exhorts us to live wisely, avoiding the foolishness of the world, and instead to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This filling manifests in worship, gratitude, and a deep connection with God. The Gospel from John presents Jesus as the living bread, emphasizing that true life comes from partaking in His flesh and blood, a profound sacramental truth that transcends physical sustenance.
These readings interweave the themes of spiritual nourishment and wise living. Proverbs sets the stage by inviting us to the table of Wisdom, Ephesians guides us on how to live in accordance with that wisdom, and John’s Gospel reveals the ultimate source of spiritual food in Jesus Christ. Together, they remind us that our faith is not just about belief but about how we live and nourish our souls.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to seek wisdom in our decisions, to live with virtue, and to find strength in the Eucharist. They remind us that spiritual growth is an active process, requiring us to embrace God’s will and to cultivate a life of gratitude and worship. The moral lesson is clear: true life and wisdom come from embracing Jesus, the living bread, and living in the Spirit, allowing His presence to transform and guide us each day.