XIX
SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – CYCLE B – 2018
Ø We continue with the same theme as
last week “the Bread of Life” to which John dedicates the 6th
chapter of his Gospel.
Ø In the last Sundays we have seen
Jesus feeding the crowd and the people, that have been fed complaining because
they are experiencing hunger and, asking for a sign.
Ø Let us see this Sunday’s message.
FIRST READING 1
Kings 19: 4-8
Ø Elijah has walked through the desert
for one day and he is exhausted and discouraged.
Ø We also sometimes in the deserts of
our life, inner desert, loneliness desert, discouragement desert, we feel tired
and we even believe that there is nothing else to do but to die.
Ø And like the prophet, we ask God to
grant us the favor to die, so that we will not suffer anymore.
Ø But He gives instead new strength to
continue our journey in which we will surely have the opportunity to help other
brothers and sisters, who are suffering and awaiting for a friendly hand or a
friendly shoulder to cry.
Ø God send an angel to Elijah, and he
sends us to others to be like angels to help them.
Ø Moreover, the second time that Elijah
eats the food that God gives him, he is able to journey during 40 days. Forty
a symbolic number of plenitude.
R. (9a) Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Glorify the LORD with me,
Let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
And delivered me from all my fears.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy.
And your faces may not blush with shame.
When the afflicted man called out, the LORD heard,
And from all his distress he saved him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Glorify the LORD with me,
Let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
And delivered me from all my fears.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy.
And your faces may not blush with shame.
When the afflicted man called out, the LORD heard,
And from all his distress he saved him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
The angel of
the LORD encamps
around those who fear him and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
around those who fear him and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Ø The rest of the Bible proclaims God’s
works, law and saving plan.
Ø In the Psalms the Word of God becomes,
at the same time, the voice of humankind.
GOSPEL – John 6: 41-51
This Sunday’s Gospel has three paragraphs.
First
Paragraph
Ø Last Sunday the Jews, those who had
eaten from the loaves, complained because they were hungry.
Ø Today they complain because Jesus has
told them “I am the Living Bread that has come down from Heaven.”
Ø What does he say? We know very well
who his parents are, we also know the town where he comes from. Do they really
know? ¿
Ø It happens also to us, we judge from
what we see and we classify people according to what we think we know about
them?
Ø They know that this man is a
carpenter and the son of a carpenter and of a woman from Nazareth. They do not
know anything else, but they do not think they have to know anything else. How
often we do that ourselves! In addition, in so doing we deprive ourselves of
the benefit to really know the person. People are a treasure, they are the
image of God our Father; if we were able to enter with respect in the sanctuary
of each human being, how happy we would be and how much the work of God in
every human being would inspire us, even in those persons we least appreciate.
Second
Parragraph
Ø Jesus answers to their question, how can
he say that he came down from heaven, if we know his family.
Ø In his answer, he asks them “not to
mumble”. This words do not seem to answer their question.
Ø Now he explains them that no one can
come to him, Jesus, unless it is led by the Father, and this one Jesus will
raise him/her from the dead, and will give him/her a new life which will never
end. What does he mean by the last day? What
last day is that? We do not have the answer now; we need to trust Jesus and the
Father. This last day, regardless, when, it will be a day full of the light of the risen
Lord, filled with the eternal light, full of joy and light.
Ø Jesus repeats to them the words of
the prophet who says that all will be disciples of the Father, all those who
listen to him. We need to listen in order to be attracted by the Father.
Third
Parragraph
Ø And Jesus speaks again about him as
life, as the bread of life.
Ø Who gave to Israel bread in the
desert was the Father, and nevertheless they died, because it was bread for the
body.
Ø But Jesus is the bread that feeds our
spiritual being, the one who prepares us for life eternal, to never die.
Ø The bread tht Jesus gives to us, the
bread of life, it is himself given in a sacramental way as bread and wine= as
food and as joy.
Ø Jesus gives us the bread so that, we
can, in turn, give ourselves to others, as Eucharist.
Ø What
a wonderful task!
Ø Let us make this truth alive, and let us proclaim it to all those we meet,
most of the time this proclamation will not be through words but though our own
life given with joy.
CLARETIAN CORNER (From the Writings of the Founder (St.
Anthony Mary Claret and, the Foundress,
María Antonia París, of the RR. of Mary
Immaculate Claretian Missionary Sisters)
When I saw that everything was on the
way to the foundation of the Company of Mary, I decided to write to him
privately since the Archbishop was already here for the visit, making him
understand in a few words that we would not belong to the Company of Mary and
that I was informing him just for his discernment. The procurator did not pay
attention to this notice, rather considering our foundation impossible unless
it would not be a house of the Company of Mary, negotiated the petition we had
planned, and not knowing my interior feelings. Because I was always very
reserved in giving this kind of news, and God had already told me that he did
not orient me to the procurator for this work: to proceed with much silence,
that, in due time, He would defend His cause. (Venerable
María Antonia París, Autobiography 178)
Dear Sister:
I have just received
your letter together with the letter from the Bishop of Urgel, and I answer you
… that for the Government that has to give the authorization for the foundation
as well as for us these Rules(of the Company of Mary) are an essential requirement and, not the
rules of St. Benedict. Once
the Government gives its authorization for the
foundation, it will be the Prelate who will approve anything we want. With this
answer I think that all of you will understand me.
Pray for me to God and
give my kind regards to the Sisters and the girls, sincerely
Anthony Mary,
Archbishop of Cuba. (Unpublished English Translation of the History of the RR.
Of Mary Immaculate Claretian Missionary Sisters, ch 5 pg.10)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
PARIS, María Antonia, Autobiography 178.
RR. DE MARÍA INMACULADA MISIONERAS CLARETIANAS. English
translation of the History)
CANVIS, JEFF … Psalms the School of Prayer. 2009
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