Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Title

Lift Up Your Eyes

Outline

It is clear that many Christians, let alone the world, are not different from those in the wilderness or those in Galilee

They want the bread and meat and fear starvation when God leads them

They want a repeat of the feeding miracle they experienced, but miss in the inner meaning (Bp Barron argues it is the Eucharistic meaning)

They want healing from their physical diseases

They want prosperity, not necessarily extreme prosperity, but at least enough for a pleasant life and a good, perhaps an early, retirement

And because of these wants, they are tough on leadership, demanding via-a-vis God, and overall cantankerous

God wants us to “put away the old self of [our] former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of [our] minds, 24 and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth”

That is clear when it comes to Israel in the wilderness

God could have transported them back to Egypt to discover if things were really that good there

God could have sprouted wheat in the wilderness, so they could have their usual bread

But he chose to send something they had never seen before, something about which they asked “What is this?” (Ma nah), something about which they had to follow directions, something that would make it clear that God was their provider day by day (you could not store it).

He really meant, “I will test them to see whether they follow my instructions or not.”

Jesus builds on this

He repoints the text so it says, not that Moses gave them the (real) bread, but that God is giving them the (real) bread

So Jesus starts by saying, “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”

OK, then how do we work for that? “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”

Then, noting that the true “bread from heaven” is that which “gives life to the world” he concludes: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” - the bread of a renewed mind is a Person, a commitment to a person.

Now, I do not expect that this surprises you. You are well-formed.

But I realize that in my life it is easy to forget the lives of the saints and the witness of scripture and to get my mind off the true bread from heaven and onto this world.

I would like the arthritis - among other things - to go away, rather than asking God how he can use it at bread from heaven by helping me identify with Jesus

I get concerned about the lack of resources, at least for tomorrow (no retirement guarantee) if not for today (can I ever take a break from Byzantine Divine Liturgies?) and the ever-present lack of time, rather than focusing on thankfulness for today and whether I am doing God’s will in the moment.

And there is always a temptation to shorten or skip my time before the Blessed Sacrament if something pressing is more pressing that his impressing himself on me as the living bread. I am not under obedience or following a rule with respect to this.

You might not have these temptations: you might have others or you might have to deal with others who have these concerns.

But perhaps this reflection will encourage you to keep renewing your minds and encouraging others (gently) to do the same, and keep putting on the new self so that we keep in tune with the bread of life, the One upon whom we feed.

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 8-1-2021: Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING

Exodus 16:2–4, 12–15

2 Here in the wilderness the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died at the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt, as we sat by our kettles of meat and ate our fill of bread! But you have led us into this wilderness to make this whole assembly die of famine!”

4 Then the LORD said to Moses: I am going to rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion; thus will I test them, to see whether they follow my instructions or not.

12 I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them: In the evening twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will have your fill of bread, and then you will know that I, the LORD, am your God.

13 In the evening, quail came up and covered the camp. In the morning there was a layer of dew all about the camp, 14 and when the layer of dew evaporated, fine flakes were on the surface of the wilderness, fine flakes like hoarfrost on the ground. 15 On seeing it, the Israelites asked one another, “What is this?” for they did not know what it was. But Moses told them, “It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.

Catholic Daily Readings 8-1-2021: Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

RESPONSE

Psalm 78:24b

24 God rained manna upon them for food;

grain from heaven he gave them.

PSALM

Psalm 78:3–4, 23–25, 54

3 What we have heard and know;

things our ancestors have recounted to us.

4 We do not keep them from our children;

we recount them to the next generation,

The praiseworthy deeds of the LORD and his strength,

the wonders that he performed.

23 So he commanded the clouds above;

and opened the doors of heaven.

24 God rained manna upon them for food;

grain from heaven he gave them.

25 Man ate the bread of the angels;

food he sent in abundance.

54 And he brought them to his holy mountain,

the hill his right hand had won.

Catholic Daily Readings 8-1-2021: Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

SECOND READING

Ephesians 4:17, 20–24

17 So I declare and testify in the Lord that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds;

20 That is not how you learned Christ, 21 assuming that you have heard of him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus, 22 that you should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.

Catholic Daily Readings 8-1-2021: Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Matthew 4:4b

4 He said in reply, “It is written:

‘One does not live by bread alone,

but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.’ ”

GOSPEL

John 6:24–35

24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25 And when they found him across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.” 28 So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.” 30 So they said to him, “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? 31 Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written:

‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ”

32 So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 8-1-2021: Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

SUNDAY, AUGUST 1, 2021 | ORDINARY TIME

EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR B | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Exodus 16:2–4, 12–15

Response Psalm 78:24b

Psalm Psalm 78:3–4, 23–25, 54

Second Reading Ephesians 4:17, 20–24

Gospel Acclamation Matthew 4:4b

Gospel John 6:24–35

GREEN