By Fr. Andrew Kelly
18TH SUNDAY ORDINAL TIME – AUG. 5
Every Sunday the Lord gathers the believing community for the Word, body and blood. But honestly, sometimes, maybe often, the Lord’s Word is dull and uninspiring; the Lord’s body and blood really tastes like dry bread and cheap wine.
Thus the community is forced to look deep into its soul and ponder the problem. Sunday’s Gospel (John 6:24-35) possibly offers a solution.
Maybe the luster and excitement of worship has faded because the community has lost focus on what its work really is?
Jesus tells the community: “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
In John’s Gospel faith is much more than intellectual concepts or dogmatic catechism answers. No, faith is “believing into” the person of Jesus Christ. It is a living, dynamic relationship like parents have with children, lovers have with lovers, and why friends cherish friends forever.
It is amazing what happens when the community’s only faith and work life is “believing into” Jesus Christ. The community begins to understand again the profundity of Jesus’ words:
“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
(Father Andrew Kelly is a retired priest of the Diocese of Davenport.)
Scripture Readings for Aug. 5-12
Sunday
Ex 16:2-4, 12-15
Eph 4:17, 20-24
Jn 6:24-35
Monday
Dn 7:9-10, 13-14
2 Pt 1:16-19
Mk 9:2-10
Tuesday
Jer 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22
Mt 14:22-36 or
Mt 15:1-2, 10-14
Wednesday
Jer 31:1-7
Mt 15: 21-28
Thursday
Jer 31:31-34
Mt 16:13-23
Friday
2 Cor 9:6-10
Jn 12:24-26
Saturday
Hab 1:12-2:4
Mt 17:14-20
Sunday
1 Kgs 19:4-8
Eph 4:30-5:2
Jn 6:41-51