Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 28, 2024
First Reading: 2 Kings 4.42-44
42A man came from Baal Shalishah, bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread baked from the first ripe grain, along with some heads of new grain. "Give it to the people to eat," Elisha said.43"How can I set this before a hundred men?" his servant asked. But Elisha answered, "Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the LORD says: 'They will eat and have some left over.'"44Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.
Psalm 145
1I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.2Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.3Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.4One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.5They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.6They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.7They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.8The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.9The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.10All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you.11They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might,12so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.14The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.15The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.16You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.17The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.18The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.19He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.20The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.21My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.
Second Reading: Ephesians 4.1-6
1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.4There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called--5one Lord, one faith, one baptism;6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Gospel: John 6.1-15
1Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias),2and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick.3Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples.4The Jewish Passover Feast was near.5When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?"6He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.7Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"8Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up,9"Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"10Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them.11Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.12When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted."13So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.14After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world."15Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
Sermon
The readings today remind us of God’s boundless generosity and the call to live in unity and humility. In the first reading from 2 Kings, we see Elisha, a prophet of God, being offered a small amount of bread by a man from Baal-Shalishah. Though the servant questions whether such a small offering can satisfy a hundred men, Elisha trusts in God’s promise and instructs him to distribute the bread. Miraculously, there is more than enough for everyone, and some is even left over. This story highlights God’s ability to provide abundantly, even when human resources seem insufficient.
The Gospel reading from John 6 presents a similar theme of divine abundance through the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus, seeing the hunger of the crowd, takes the meager offering of five barley loaves and two fish from a young boy and multiplies it to feed everyone. The leftovers fill twelve baskets, showing that God’s gifts are not only sufficient but also overflowing. This miracle points to Jesus as the Bread of Life, who satisfies our deepest hungers and calls us to trust in His providence.
Both readings are connected by the theme of trust in God’s provision and the importance of generosity. The second reading from Ephesians reminds us that living in unity and humility is essential for reflecting God’s love in the world. Just as the bread was shared among the crowd and the leftovers gathered to prevent waste, we are called to share our own gifts and resources with others, ensuring that no one is left without. Today, let us reflect on how we can trust in God’s abundance, live with humility, and generously share what we have, so that all may experience the richness of His love.