Message of 8-7-17

Published: Mon, 08/07/17

A Daily Spiritual Seed
Monday: August 7, 2017
Message of the Day
"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."
- C. S. Lewis

(Get in touch with this desire within. Invite God to meet you there to satisfy it.)
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Readings of the Day
NM 11:4B-15;   PS 81:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

MT 14:13-21

When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist,
he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.
The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.
When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said,
"This is a deserted place and it is already late;
dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages
and buy food for themselves."
He said to them, "There is no need for them to go away;
give them some food yourselves."
But they said to him,
"Five loaves and two fish are all we have here."
Then he said, "Bring them here to me,"
and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples,
who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied,
and they picked up the fragments left over–
twelve wicker baskets full.
Those who ate were about five thousand men,
not counting women and children. 
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USCCB lectionary
Reflection on the Scripture
"Israel I would feed with the best of wheat." —Psalm 81:17
 
Less than twenty-four hours before His death, Jesus took what appeared to be bread and wine and said "This is My body," and "This is My blood" (Mt 26:26, 28). The obvious response to these seemingly absurd statements is: "How can He give us His flesh to eat?" (Jn 6:52)

Yet, before we dismiss Jesus' words as those of a lunatic, we should remember that the Lord fed the entire Israelite nation for forty years by giving them manna, bread from heaven (Nm 11:7ff). The Lord can do anything!

Moreover, Jesus shows His lordship over nature by healing the sick (Mt 14:14), multiplying loaves and fish (Mt 14:17ff), walking on water (Mt 14:25), and especially by rising from the dead (see Rm 1:4).

How can we tell the almighty, risen Lord that He cannot change bread and wine into His Body and Blood? How can we tell God that He cannot do anything that would be "over our heads," just because it is beyond our human understanding?

Believe in miracles. Believe in the Eucharist. Believe Jesus is the risen Lord and God.​​​​​​​

Presentation Ministries
Amazon Gift Cards: Good for any occasion.
Spiritual Reading
Theological Gems from Emile Merch's Theology of the Mystical Body
- selected by Jim and Tyra Arraj

Book V: In Christ
 
Chapter 15: The Holy Supernatural
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473. -- the dogma of the hypostatic union: two natures and one person; a perfect man who is truly the perfect God.
 
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