Daily Readings - Sun Jun 14 2020
Deuteronomy
2Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.3He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.14then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.15He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock.16He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you.
John
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."59He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter a profound journey through the concept of bread as a symbol of divine provision and spiritual nourishment. The first reading from Deuteronomy recounts the Israelites' 40 years in the desert, where they were tested and sustained by God through manna. This manna was not just a physical provision but a lesson in trusting God's providence beyond the physical realm. The second reading from Corinthians shifts our focus to the Eucharist, highlighting how the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ, uniting believers in a communal bond. This sacrament underscores our unity as the body of Christ. In the Gospel of John, Jesus elevates this concept, declaring himself the living bread, offering eternal life to those who partake in his flesh and blood. This bread surpasses the manna of old, providing spiritual sustenance that endures forever.
The context of these readings reveals a progression from the desert wanderings of the Israelites to the early Christian community and ultimately to the teachings of Jesus. Each setting emphasizes trust in God's provision, communal unity, and the ultimate spiritual nourishment found in Christ. The Israelites learned to depend on God despite physical hardships, the Corinthians found unity in the Eucharist, and Jesus offered himself as the source of eternal life.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to reflect on our own dependence on God. Just as the Israelites trusted God for manna, we are called to trust in His providence, even when our physical needs seem uncertain. The Eucharist reminds us of our unity as a community, urging us to live in harmony and mutual support. Jesus, as the living bread, calls us to seek spiritual nourishment, recognizing that our deepest hunger is for a relationship with Him. This spiritual dependence on Christ transforms our lives, guiding us to live with faith, unity, and a heart open to God's will.
As we reflect on these readings, we are reminded of our true hunger—a hunger for God. The Eucharist, as the ultimate fulfillment of this hunger, invites us to partake in Christ's life, uniting us with Him and with each other. May we embrace this divine nourishment, trusting in God's provision, living in unity, and seeking the eternal life offered through Jesus, the living bread.