Praise be to Jesus Christ

 

Let us greet one another: “Praise be to Jesus.” 

 

How did you spend your week?

May God bless our community with love and unity.  

 

First reading is about Elisha.  Have you heard of Elisha?  He is one of famous prophets in the Old Testament and is Elijah’s disciple.  Elisha also performed miracles as written in the Luke 4 about a cured leper named Naaman the Syrian.  

First reading speaks about the miracle of bread.  Elisha fed one hundred followers with twenty barley loaves and fresh grain; “And when they had eaten, there was some left over.” (2 Kings 4:44)  One person’s sharing fed many and reveals the miracle of bread.  God performs many wondrous deeds through us.  

 

Today’s gospel also speaks to the miracle of bread.  Jesus feeds five thousand followers with five barley loaves and two fish.  When they gathered the left overs, it filled twelve baskets.  Just as one child’s sharing led to a miracle and filled everyone, Jesus gave his blood and body so that we are spiritually filled.  The followers after the meal said: “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” (John 6:14)  

 

The miracle of bread is the typological interpretation of the Eucharist.  Our religious life has many essential aspects and the most important is the Eucharist.  The purpose of our faith is salvation i.e. we want to enter the kingdom of God and be with Him.  We unite with God through the Eucharist in this world.  

 

The ecumenical council states that sacrament of Eucharist is the fount and apex of the whole Christian life.  (Lumen Gentium 11)  The best way to live your religious life is to attend mass; during the mass we can become one with Jesus through the Eucharist and share the abundance of faith with our neighbors.  

 

The second reading recommends us to follow the calling: “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace.”  (Ephesian 4:2~3)  

It tells us to continue the unity since hope, our Lord, body of Christ, Holy Spirit, faith, baptism, God the Father are all one.  

 

The sacrament of Eucharist also unites us.  Those who are called become one through the communion.  Jesus has given us his body and blood to make us one with him.  So that we may through humility, gentleness, patience, and peace share our love to unite our community during the upcoming week.  

 

Let us meditate for a moment.