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Love this quote from St. Gregory. I’ve long struggled with how the particular pericopes in this Reading hang together or are related. The interpretation that Jesus is endorsing a “carrot and stick” approach for preachers of the Gospel is very interesting!
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Here are the Scripture readings from the U.S. Catholic bishops website.
My own weekly study on the Sunday Readings can be found here under “Current Study”…
Here are three audio reflections on the readings by Sister Ann Shields, Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Robert Barron.
Here are a pair of Catholic Bible study podcasts (each about an hour long):
The Navarre Bible commentary for each reading can be viewed here.
Further study resources for the Readings: St. Charles Borromeo Bible Study can be found here, and Catholic Matters can be found here.
Please consider supporting those who provide these free resources.
Discussion, questions and charitable comments are always welcome. Have a blessed week!
**To help us prepare for this coming Sunday, here are the readings, studies and reflections for this coming Sunday’s Scripture readings. This Sunday is the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A.
Here are the Scripture readings from the U.S. Catholic bishops website.
My own weekly study on the Sunday Readings can be found here under “Current Study”…
Here are three audio reflections on the readings by Sister Ann Shields, Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Robert Barron.
Here are a pair of Catholic Bible study podcasts (each about an hour long):
The Navarre Bible commentary for each reading can be viewed here.
Further study resources for the Readings: St. Charles Borromeo Bible Study can be found here, and Catholic Matters can be found here.
Please consider supporting those who provide these free resources.
Discussion, questions and charitable comments are always welcome. Have a blessed week!
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1st Reading - Isaiah 55:1-3
Isaiah 40:1 through 55:13 has been called the Book of Comfort. The prophet places ancient traditions in a cosmic setting, so that the new exodus levels mountains or strikes flowing water in the heights. The Mosaic covenant is expanded into a world-wide covenant by mentioning the covenants with Noah and with Abraham and Sarah. The author sees the garden of paradise emerge before his eyes. The spirit of the liturgy breaks forth into new life through his hymns, laments, and proclamation of the word. On the 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time (four weeks ago) we heard the closing words of the conclusion of the Book of Comfort. Today we hear the opening words of this same conclusion. Here he tells the despairing exiles that Yahweh is inviting them to a banquet which he freely gives them. Yahweh alone can provide for their real needs; they are foolish to look elsewhere for consolation or help. If they cooperate he will fulfill the promise he had made to David (cf. 2 Sm. 7: 14-16; Ps. 2: 7). the promise of a future Messiah.
Here is the 1st Reading as we will hear it this Sunday:
Isaiah 40:1 through 55:13 has been called the Book of Comfort. The prophet places ancient traditions in a cosmic setting, so that the new exodus levels mountains or strikes flowing water in the heights. The Mosaic covenant is expanded into a world-wide covenant by mentioning the covenants with Noah and with Abraham and Sarah. The author sees the garden of paradise emerge before his eyes. The spirit of the liturgy breaks forth into new life through his hymns, laments, and proclamation of the word. On the 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time (four weeks ago) we heard the closing words of the conclusion of the Book of Comfort. Today we hear the opening words of this same conclusion. Here he tells the despairing exiles that Yahweh is inviting them to a banquet which he freely gives them. Yahweh alone can provide for their real needs; they are foolish to look elsewhere for consolation or help. If they cooperate he will fulfill the promise he had made to David (cf. 2 Sm. 7: 14-16; Ps. 2: 7). the promise of a future Messiah.
Here is the 1st Reading as we will hear it this Sunday:
http://www.shorashim.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/exile-return.jpg
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From the Navarre Bible commentary on the 1st Reading:
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The 1st Reading is cited in the Catechism of the Catholic Church in the following paragraph:
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2nd Reading - Romans 8:35, 37-39
Today we finish our study of Romans chapter eight. As you will recall, last week we heard the basis of the doctrine of predestination. We now hear how Christ bears witness for us. St. Paul concludes the chapter with a hymn in praise of God’s love for us: “with God on our side,” he says “who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give. When God absolves could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No, he not only died for us—he rose from the dead and there at God’s right hand he stands and pleads for us” (8:31-34). Then come today’s verses which are rhetorical questions, showing that there is no power in heaven or on earth that can take away or lessen God’s love for us as manifested in Christ, his Incarnate Son.
Here is the 2nd Reading as we will hear it this Sunday:
Today we finish our study of Romans chapter eight. As you will recall, last week we heard the basis of the doctrine of predestination. We now hear how Christ bears witness for us. St. Paul concludes the chapter with a hymn in praise of God’s love for us: “with God on our side,” he says “who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give. When God absolves could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No, he not only died for us—he rose from the dead and there at God’s right hand he stands and pleads for us” (8:31-34). Then come today’s verses which are rhetorical questions, showing that there is no power in heaven or on earth that can take away or lessen God’s love for us as manifested in Christ, his Incarnate Son.
Here is the 2nd Reading as we will hear it this Sunday:
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From the Navarre Bible commentary on the 2nd Reading:
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From the 1859 Haydock Commentary on the 1st Reading:
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The 2nd Reading is cited in the *Catechism of the Catholic Church *in the following paragraph:
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A meditation on the 2nd Reading for practical application from Catholic Matters:
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Gospel Reading: Matthew 14:13-21
Here is the Gospel Reading as we will hear it this Sunday:
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* After relating the parables we’ve been hearing in the Sunday Gospels over the last few weeks, Jesus is rejected at Nazareth (Matthew 13:53-58), and his cousin and precursor, John the Baptist, is martyred by Herod (Matthew 14:1-12). Upon hearing this, he withdraws with his disciples to an unidentified “lonely place” (RSV).
* The miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish appears in all four Gospels. From the abundance of grass present, we can imagine this occurring in mid-spring. John places it at Passover, one year before the Passion (John 6:4).
* This miracle calls to mind God’s giving of the miraculous manna and the quail in the wilderness to the Israelites as they wandered for 40 years (Exodus 16). It also recalls a similar miracle performed by the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 4:42-44). This miracle actually surpasses the Old Testament types, while looking ahead to a bread that is even more wonderful still.http://www.heartsandhome.com/hearts/uploaded_images/jesus-feed-5000-766307.jpg
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The Navarre Bible’s commentary on this in Matthew’s Gospel is sparse. However, the commentary under the parallel accounts in the other Gospels is more filled out: From the Navarre Bible commentary on Mark 6:30-34, Matthew 14:13-21, Luke 9:10-17 and John 6:1-13:
[Matthew 15:32 states:
**32. The Gospels speak of our Lord’s mercy and compassion towards people’s needs: here He is concerned about the crowds who are following Him and who have no food. He always has a word of consolation, encouragement and forgiveness: He is never indifferent. However, what hurts Him most are sinners who go through life without experiencing light and truth: He waits for them in the sacraments of Baptism and Penance.]
[Matthew 15:33-38 states:
**33-38. As in the case of the first multiplication (14:13-20), the Apostles provide our Lord with the loaves and the fish. It was all they had. He also avails of the Apostles to distribute the food—the result of the miracle–to the people. In distributing the graces of salvation God chooses to rely on the faithfulness and generosity of men. “Many great things depend–don’t forget it–on whether you and I live our lives as God wants” ([St] J. Escriva, “The Way”, 755).
It is interesting to note that in both miracles of multiplication of loaves and fish Jesus provides food in abundance but does not allow anything to go to waste. All Jesus’ miracles, in addition to being concrete historical events, are also symbols of supernatural realities. Here abundance of material food also signifies abundance of divine gifts on the level of grace and glory: it refers spiritual resources and eternal rewards; God gives people more graces than are strictly necessary. This is borne out by Christian experience throughout history. St. Paul tells us that “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Rom 5:20); he speaks of “the riches of His grace which He lavished upon us” (Eph 1:8) and tells his disciple Timothy that “the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 1:14).]
Continued on the next post…
. This episode must have occurred in the middle of springtime, because the grass was green (Mark 6:40; John 6:10). In the Near East loaves were usually made very thin, which meant it was easy to break them by hand and distribute them to those at table; this was usually done by the head of the household or the senior person at the meal. Our Lord follows this custom, and the miracle occurs when Jesus breaks the bread. The disciples then distribute it among the crowd. Here again we can see Jesus’ desire to have people cooperate with Him.]
[Matthew 15:32 states:
**32. The Gospels speak of our Lord’s mercy and compassion towards people’s needs: here He is concerned about the crowds who are following Him and who have no food. He always has a word of consolation, encouragement and forgiveness: He is never indifferent. However, what hurts Him most are sinners who go through life without experiencing light and truth: He waits for them in the sacraments of Baptism and Penance.]
[Matthew 15:33-38 states:
**33-38. As in the case of the first multiplication (14:13-20), the Apostles provide our Lord with the loaves and the fish. It was all they had. He also avails of the Apostles to distribute the food—the result of the miracle–to the people. In distributing the graces of salvation God chooses to rely on the faithfulness and generosity of men. “Many great things depend–don’t forget it–on whether you and I live our lives as God wants” ([St] J. Escriva, “The Way”, 755).
It is interesting to note that in both miracles of multiplication of loaves and fish Jesus provides food in abundance but does not allow anything to go to waste. All Jesus’ miracles, in addition to being concrete historical events, are also symbols of supernatural realities. Here abundance of material food also signifies abundance of divine gifts on the level of grace and glory: it refers spiritual resources and eternal rewards; God gives people more graces than are strictly necessary. This is borne out by Christian experience throughout history. St. Paul tells us that “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Rom 5:20); he speaks of “the riches of His grace which He lavished upon us” (Eph 1:8) and tells his disciple Timothy that “the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 1:14).]
Continued on the next post…
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Our Lord had planned a period of rest, for Himself and His disciples, from the pressures of the apostolate (Mark 6:31-32). And He has to change His plans because so many people come, eager to hear Him speak. Not only is He not annoyed with them: He feels compassion on seeing their spiritual need. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). They need instruction and our Lord wants to meet this need by preaching to them. “Jesus is moved by hunger and sorrow, but what moves Him most is ignorance” ([St] J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 109).]
[Mark 6:41 states:
**41. This miracle is a figure of the Holy Eucharist: Christ performed it shortly before promising that sacrament (cf. John 6:1ff), and the Fathers have always so interpreted it. In this miracle Jesus shows His supernatural power and His love for men–the same power and love as make it possible for Christ’s one and only body to be present in the Eucharistic species to nourish the faithful down the centuries. In the words of the sequence composed by St. Thomas Aquinas for the Mass of Corpus Christi: “Be one or be a thousand fed, they eat alike that living bread which, still received, ne’er wastes away.”
This gesture of our Lord–looking up to Heaven–is recalled in the Roman canon of the Mass: “And looking up to Heaven, to You, His almighty Father.” At this point in the Mass we are preparing to be present at a miracle greater than that of the multiplication of the loaves–the changing of bread into His own body, offered as food for all men.]
[Mark 6:42 states:
**42. Christ wanted the left-overs to be collected (cf. John 6:12) to teach us not to waste things God gives us, and also to have them as a tangible proof of the miracle.
The collecting of the left-overs is a way of showing us the value of little things done out of love for God–orderliness, cleanliness, finishing things completely. It also reminds the sensitive believer of the extreme care that must be taken of the Eucharistic species. Also, the generous scale of the miracle is an expression of the largesse of the Messianic times. The Fathers recall that Moses distributed the manna for each to eat as much as he needed but some left part of it for the next day and it bred worms (Exodus 16:16-20). Elijah gave the widow just enough to meet her needs (1 Kings 17:13-16). Jesus, on the other hand, gives generously and abundantly.]
[Mark 8:1-9 states:
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1-9. Jesus repeats the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and the fish: the first time (Mark 6:33-44) He acted because He saw a huge crowd like “sheep without a shepherd”; now He takes pity on them because they have been with Him for three days and have nothing to eat.
This miracle shows how Christ rewards people who persevere in following Him: the crowd had been hanging on His words, forgetful of everything else. We should be like them, attentive and ready to do what He commands, without any vain concern about the future, for that would amount to distrusting Divine Providence.]
Continued on the next post…
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Jesus is sensitive to people’s material and spiritual needs. Here we see Him take the initiative to satisfy the hunger of the crowd of people who have been following Him.
Through these conversations and the miracle He is going to work, Jesus also teaches His disciples to trust in Him whenever they meet up with difficulties in their apostolic endeavors in the future: they should engage in them using whatever resources they have–even if they are plainly inadequate, as was the case with the five loaves and two fish. He will supply what is lacking. In the Christian life we must put what we have at the service of our Lord, even if we do not think it amounts to very much. He can make meager resources productive.
“We must, then, have faith and not be dispirited. We must not be stopped by any kind of human calculation. To overcome the obstacles we have to throw ourselves into the task so that the very effort we make will open up new paths” ([St] J. Escriva, “Christ is Passing By”, 160).]
[John 6:10 states:
**10. The evangelist gives us an apparently unimportant piece of information: “there was much grass in the place.” This indicates that the miracle took place in the height of the Palestinian spring, very near the Passover, as mentioned in verse 4. There are very few big meadows in Palestine; even today there is one on the eastern bank of the Lake of Gennesaret, called El-Batihah, where five thousand people could fit seated: it may have been the site of this miracle.]
[John 6:11 states:
**11. The account of the miracle begins with almost the very same words as those which the Synoptics and St. Paul use to describe the institution of the Eucharist (cf. Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:25). This indicates that the miracle, in addition to being an expression of Jesus’ mercy towards the needy, is a symbol of the Blessed Eucharist, about which our Lord will speak a little later on (cf. John 6:26-59).]
[John 6:12-13 states:
12-13. The profusion of detail shows how accurate this narrative is–the names of the Apostles who address our Lord (verses 5,8), the fact that they were barley loaves (verse 9), the boy who provided the wherewithal (verse 9) and, finally, Jesus telling them to gather up the leftovers.
This miracle shows Jesus’ divine power over matter, and His largesse recalls the abundance of messianic benefits which the prophets had foretold (cf. Jeremiah 31:14).
Christ’s instruction to pick up the leftovers teaches us that material resources are gifts of God and should not be wasted: they should be used in a spirit of poverty (cf. note on Mark 6:42). In this connection Paul VI pointed out that “after liberally feeding the crowds, the Lord told His disciples to gather up what was left over, lest anything should be lost (cf. John 6:12). What an excellent lesson in thrift–in the finest and fullest meaning of the term–for our age, given as it is to wastefulness! It carries with it the condemnation of a whole concept of society wherein consumption tends to become an end in itself, with contempt for the needy, and to the detriment, ultimately, of those very people who believed themselves to be its beneficiaries, having become incapable of perceiving that man is called to a higher destiny” ([Pope] Paul VI, “Address to Participants at the World Food Conference”, 9 November 1974).]
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From the 1859 Haydock Commentary on the Gospel Reading:
Concluded on the next post…
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The Gospel Reading is cited in the following paragraphs from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
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