Gospel: August 11, 2024
(Sunday)
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Psalter: Week 3 / (Green)
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 34: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (9a)
Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
1st Reading: 1 Kings 19: 4-8
2nd Reading: Ephesians 4: 30 – 5: 2
Gospel: John 6: 41-51
The Jews murmured because Jesus had said, “I am the bread which comes from heaven.” And they said, “This man is the son of Joseph, isn’t he? We know his father and mother. How can he say that he has come from heaven?”
Jesus answered them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to me unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise him up on the last day. It has been written in the Prophets: They shall all be taught by God. So whoever listens and learns from the Father comes to me.
For no one has seen the Father except the One who comes from God; he has seen the Father. Truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life. Though your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, they died. But here you have the bread which comes from heaven so that you may eat of it and not die.
I am the living bread which has come from heaven; whoever eats of this bread will live forever. The bread I shall give is my flesh and I will give it for the life of the world.”
Lectio Divina:
Read: The Jews murmured because Jesus referred to himself as the bread from heaven. Jesus was sent by the Father. However, they thought they knew Jesus. Jesus told them that nobody could come to him unless drawn by the Father. The one listening and learning from the Father would come to Jesus. Jesus further told his listeners that no one has seen God except the one who came from God. Jesus referred to himself as the bread of life, and again, as the living bread coming down from heaven. The one who ate of the living bread would live forever. The bread which Jesus would give was his flesh for the salvation of the world.
Reflect: In John’s Gospel, Jesus is the Revealer of the Father. Jesus came from the Father and would return to the Father. The only one who can reveal God is the one who came from God. Today’s Gospel describes Jesus as the bread of life. Jesus told his listeners that he is the living bread who came down from heaven. The Father sent Jesus into the world not to condemn the world but to save the world because God loves the world (cf. Jn. 3:16). Jesus came from a loving God and to such a God Jesus returned. Jesus now leads us in this return while revealing God’s love. Do we want to be led by Jesus?
Pray: Let us pray that we may also become instruments of God’s revelation.
Act: Today, let us lead someone closer to God.
