Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament

Province of Saint Ann

St Ann Crown red

Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament

Province of Saint Ann

St Ann Crown red
Eymard stained glass window

Daily Eucharistic Reflections

July 28, 2024

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

We live in a world of social media and AI to gather information, scams that seem real, steal personal information, and destroy many’s financial security. Rumors become exaggerated, giving truth to the saying; when the legend becomes fact, print the legend. I often tell myself, “That my mind will tell me anything I want it to hear,” exacerbating false beliefs and increasing anxiety.

I recently read an article from Mexican folklore regarding today’s gospel that disregards the dialogue between Jesus and the disciples and the miracle that Jesus performs. The misbelief is that the crowd came prepared with food, the miracle was in the sharing that occurred, and the takeaway was a lesson in caring for others. The writer heard this from a priest who used it as the basis for his Sunday homily. It is not a bad lesson, but clearly, the priest led his flock in the wrong direction.

Today, we hear about Jesus’ miracle of multiplying five barley loaves and two fish and feeding the multitudes through John’s lens. After instructing the disciples, Jesus takes the loaves and fish, thanks God the Father, and has the disciples distribute the food, leaving leftovers to fill twelve baskets. Five thousand people were fed, filled with bread and fish, nourished by the words and actions of Jesus, yet their faith remained incomplete.

In the Eucharist, all gathered are nourished by the word of God. Our gifts of bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Jesus, and we are fed at the table of the Lord. Do misbeliefs keep us from being fed and satisfied? Do doubts and fears get in our way, or are we, like Elisha, men and women of faith, doing the Lord’s work?

Closing Prayer

God of glory, in this holy feast, you have made us one with Christ and with that great multitude of the faithful—those who hunger and thirst no more and worship night and day in your temple. Lead us in the paths of righteousness and guide us to the springs of the water of life until we join the choir of the redeemed, singing: Salvation belongs to our God seated on the throne, and to the Lamb: Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

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We are a Catholic religious congregation of priests, deacons and brothers whose mission is to share the riches of God’s love manifested in the Eucharist.

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