Sunday Preparation

Scripture Resources for Catechists

• Exploring Mark - short video presentation by Fr. Nicholas King, SJ 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
• Opening the Word from FORMED online
• Seasonal Resources from Be My Disciples
• Cycle B Resources - The Gospel of Mark, from Loyola Press
• 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 All Saints
• 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

August 19, 2018

Gospel: John 6:51-58 (discourse on the Bread of Life continued)

"Sunday Connection" Scripture Commentary

Question of the Week (Adults): How does Jesus' promise of eternal life affect the way you live your life today?

Question of the Week (Children): How often do you think about heaven? Does it make a difference in the chices you make?

Catechism Connection 

994 - Jesus will raise up to eternal life those who have eaten his body and drunk his blood 
1355 - In the Eucharist the faithful receive the Body and Blood of Christ 
1391 - Receiving the Eucharist creates in us an intimate union with Jesus
1524 - The Eucharist is given as 'Viaticum' to the dying

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

Saints This Week

August 19 Saint John Etudes
August 20 Saint Bernard of Clairvaux 
August 21 Saint Pius X, Pope
August 22 Queenship of Mary
August 23 Saint Rose of Lima patron of the Americas, Latin America, Peru, the Philippines, Florists
August 24 Saint Bartholomew, apostle
August 25 Saint Louis of France patron of Barbers, Grooms

Cycle B - Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time

The Reading selected for this Sunday begin with an extract from the book of Proverbs, in which Wisdom is personified as someone inviting people to a feast of food and wine, which will help those who receive it to grow in wisdom and understanding.

There is some connection between this and the promise made by Jesus that he is the "living bread" and that "whoever eats this bread will live forever".

Jesus' statement led to quarreling among his hearers, who asked, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" What Jesus seemed to be suggesting - cannibalism - was completely repugnant to the Jewish people. However, Jesus did not tone down or explain away what he was saying, but rather intensified it: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life within you."

Note several things about this statement:

The opening expression, "Amen, amen, I say to you" is characteristic of John's Gospel, and in every usage it indicates a statement of Jesus of great solemnity, profundity and truth. 

"Unless you eat the flesh" Jesus uses the Greek word 'trogein' as the verb "to eat", which is fact might better be translated "gnaw" or "chew". It is a very visceral expression, and is a word usually associated with the way animals eat rather than humans. It is a word which is intended to shock, and which emphasizes the fleshly reality of Jesus, against people who taught that he was a spirit, an angel or an apparition, and not truly human.

The promise of eating and drinking Jesus body and blood is closely associated with Jesus gift of life, both abundant life in this world, and eternal life in the next. In fact, for the disciple of Jesus, eternal life has already begun.