Sunday Preparation

July 25, 2021

Gospel: John 6:1-15 (multiplication of the loaves)

Girardian Lectionary
'Sunday Connection' Scripture Commentary
RCL/Benziger Gospel Reflections

Question of the Week (Adults): When has the generous gift of another offered you hope?

Question of the Week (Children): What loving gift could you give to another person this week?

Catechism Connection 

439 - Jesus and the title of 'Messiah'
549 - Signs of the Kingdom of God
559 - Jesus refused attempts to make him king
1338 - In John's Gospel Jesus refers to himself as 'The Bread of Life'

Find these references in the Online E-Book of the Catechism of the Catholic Church 

Saints This Week

July 25 Saint James patron of Chile, Nicaragua, Spain, Laborers, Rheumatism
July 26 Saints Joachim and Anne
July 29 Saint Martha patron of housewives, waiters, waitresses
July 30 Saint Peter Chrysologus Doctor of the Church
July 31 Saint Ingatius Loyola patron or Retreats

Year B - Seventeenth Sunday of the Year

Mark's Gospel is the shortest of the three Synoptic Gospels, so during Year B when it is featured in the Sunday Lectionary, it is supplemented for five weeks by chapter 6 of John's Gospel, the well-known story of Jesus' feeding of the five thousand people, and his subsequent discourse on the Bread of Life.

The First Reading from 2 Kings sets the scene, In this story the prophet Elisha shows God's abundance by feeding a hundred people with twenty barley loaves. This may not seem to us a miracle, but remember than these loaves were very small, bun sized.

Remember that in the first half of John's Gospel Jesus is giving 'signs' to the people, all of which show forth God's power and also point to Jesus' identity. This is brought to our attention in the first verse of this Gospel, "A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick." Then Jesus went up the mountain. This action calls to mind Moses ascending Mount Sinai to bring the Ten Commandments back down from God to the people. Likewise Jesus went up a mountain to teach like Moses when he gave the Sermon on the Mount. So we are being told that he is about to give a very significant new teaching.

The Gospel writer points out that the Jewish Feast of the Passover was near. There is a repeated theme in John's Gospel of Jesus replacing the Jewish Feasts. In this case he is replacing the Passover with the Eucharist, though the Eucharist is not explicitly named in this passage. However, we hear that Jesus "took the loaves, gave thanks and distributed them". These are Eucharistic actions, and are found also in the Last Supper accounts (in Matthew, Mark, Luke, 1 Corinthians) of the institution of the Eucharist.

The passage ends as it began, acknowledging the 'sign' that Jesus has done, feeding the Five Thousand people, in a miraculous way, reminiscent of the way Moses fed the people of Israel in the desert with bread from heaven. In the Gospel next Sunday Jesus will begin to explain the meaning of this sign, the bread from heaven.       

The Bible and Morality – Biblical Roots of Christian Conduct

This is the title of a document was published by the Pontifical Biblical Commission in 2008. It presents a survey of both Old and New Testament, focusing on the moral teaching of divine revelation. The overarching theme is “divine gift and human response”. Read the entire whole document here.

1. Biblical Criteria for Moral Reflection.
   1. Conformity with the Biblical view of Human Nature
   2. Conformity with the Example of Jesus.

The class meets on Wednesdays, 7:15 PM to 8:45PM, via Zoom or phone.
Email Jim Hynes or call 919-928-2157 to participate.

A new weekly Bible Study to help parishioners prepare for a fruitful celebration of the Sunday Eucharist by studying prayerfully the Sunday Scriptures. This program will also draw on documents from Bishops, Popes and the Vatican on interpreting the Scriptures. It will focus upon “The Kerygma”, that is, the proclamation of the story of Jesus which leads people to conversion of heart and Intentional Discipleship.

Each meeting will include a 'Lectio Divina' on one of the readings, letting the Scriptures speak to our hearts,  and direct us in ways both spiritual and pastoral. It will also introduce week by week various different methods of studying the Scriptures, as taught in the following Magisterial documents, and to practice applying them to the Sunday Scriptures: 

• Dei Verbum                                                      Vatican II                                                          1963
• The Historicity of the Gospels                     Pontifical Biblical Commission                    1964
• The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church                                                      PBC         1993
• The Jewish People and their Sacred Scriptures in the Christian Bible          PBC          2002
• The Bible and Morality                                  Pontifical Biblical Commission                     2008
• Verbum Domini                                              Pope Benedict XVI                                           2010
• Preaching the Mystery of Faith                   US Conference of Catholic Bishops             2012
• Homiletic Directory                                       Congregation for Divine Worship                  2015

Participants will use 'At Home With the Word' which contains the Readings for every Sunday of the year. Copies available for $7.00

In-person classes are suspended until further notice. However, people may participate through Zoom on Wednesday at 7:30 PM. Email Jim Hynes if you wish to participate.

Scripture Resources for Catechists

• Opening the Word from FORMED online
• Seasonal Resources from Be My Disciples
• Cycle A, B and C Resources - from Loyola Press (2018-19 is Year C, The Gospel of Luke)
• Advent and Christmas Lectionary Meditations - Fr. James Alison
• Girardian Lectionary - comments and exegesis on the Sunday Scriptures
• Lesson Strategies from Be My Disciples
• Sunday Connection for this week from Loyola Press
• Finding God - the Online Catechists Helper from Loyola Press (log in required)
• Sunday Homilies - from St Andrew's
• Midweek Reflection (signup) - From Liturgical Publications
• The Text This Week - Lectionary, Scripture Study, Worship Links and Resources 
• Audio of Daily Mass Readings - from the USCCB
• Video Reflections on the Daily Mass Readings - from the USCCB