Sunday August 4, 2024
EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR
Office: Psalter Week 2, Te Deum
Mass Prop, Gloria. Creed. Preface of Sunday
Vestment: Green
Today’s Rosary: Glorious Mystery
Vespers II of the 18th Sunday of the Year
National Youth Week Begins
Click HERE for the Previous Catholic Daily Reading
Theme of the Sunday: JESUS BREAD OF LIFE
The central idea that links the first reading and the gospel is the food that God provides for his people. In the desert Israel received manna, a food which could give strength to a perishable body. Now God feeds his people with the bread of life, with his word, Jesus of Nazareth. The second reading shows the kind of transformation this bread can work. Those who assimilate it will become new people.
THE GLORIA (When indicated this hymn is either sung or said)
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you. We bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen
FIRST READING
“I will rain bread from heaven for you.”
A reading from the Book of Exodus (Exodus 16:2-4.12-15)
At that time: The whole congregation of the sons of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness and said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. I have heard the murmurings of the sons of Israel; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat flesh, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God. ”’ In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning dew lay round about the camp. And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as hoarfrost on the ground. When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat.”
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps 78:3 and 4bc.23-24.25 and 54 (R. 24b)
R/. The Lord gave them bread from heaven
The things we have heard and understood,
the things our fathers have told us,
we will tell them to the next generation:
the glories of the Lord and his might. R/.
Yet he commanded the clouds above,
and opened the gates of heaven.
He rained down manna to eat,
and gave them bread from heaven. R/.
R/. The Lord gave them bread from heaven
Man ate the bread of angels.
He sent them abundance of food.
So he brought them to his holy land,
to the mountain his right hand had won. R/.
SECOND READING
“Put on the new man, created after the likeness of God.”
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians (Ephesians 4:17.20-24)
Brethren: This I affirm and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their minds. You did not so learn Christ! — assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus. Put off the old man that belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new man, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
The word of the Lord.
ALLELUIA Matthew 4:4b
Alleluia. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“He who comes to me shall not hunger and he who believes in me shall never thirst.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 6:24-35)
At that time: When the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat. ”’ Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
THE CREED (I Believe)
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL
Celebrant:
Christ, the bread of life, invites us to come to him so that we may never hunger or thirst. Let us implore God our Father to come to our aid as we present our petitions to him.
FOR THE MINISTER OF THE CHURCH: that they may continue to teach by example that Christians do not labour for the food which perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life. Let us pray to the Lord.
FOR THOSE IN CIVIL AUTHORITY: that they may be attentive to the needs of the people they serve and ensure just wages for workers. Let us pray to the lord.
FOR THOSE WHOSE FAITH IN GOD HAS GROWN LUKEWARM: that they may experience within their soul hunger for the Lord, who is the bread of life. Let us pray to the Lord.
FOR A DEEPER APPRECIATION OF THE EUCHARIST IN OUR WORSHIPPING COMMUNITY: that we may realize that the Eucharist is God’s invaluable gift to us and strive to make it the center of our lives. Let us pray to the Lord.
FOR OTHER INTENTIONS: (the sick, church projects or other activities).
FOR THE DEAD, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF OUR PARISH COMMUNITY AND FAMILY MEMBERS: that they may find eternal rest with the Lord. Let us pray to the Lord.
We pray in silence for our private intentions.
Celebrant:
God our father, you have given us this day our daily bread. May we draw close to you each day, and never be beclouded by worldly riches. Through Christ our Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
On this Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, we recount how the Israelites revolted against Moses, despised God due to hunger for physical food and so on. They quickly forgot all the great things that God had done for them. God however, proved to be a great provider by feeding them with manna from heaven. In the Gospel, Jesus performs the miracle of the multiplication of bread and fish out of necessity. However, these followers have become carried away only by the material things and the signs they are going to get from Christ. So, rather than first accepting Christ and the word of God he preached, they allowed physical hunger to overshadow their spiritual hunger. When we pay too much of attention to material things, we tend to forget the goodness of God in the past. So, rather than counting our blessings we might end up counting our woes, and blaming God for our misfortunes.
TODAY’S SAINT AND QUOTE: St John Vianney – August 4th
-You cannot please both God and the world at the same time, they are utterly opposed to each other in their thoughts, their desires, and their actions
PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL
Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. -John 6:35
-Thank God for the graces He releases to us every moment.
Let Us Pray,
Father, I am sincerely sorry for wasting the graces made available to me each time I am confronted by sin. I receive strength not to overlook the graces made available to me in Jesus name. My dear Holy Spirit, give life to my mortal body to respond to only what is pleasing to the Lord at all times. Amen
