Today the universal Church celebrates the dedication of the Lateran Basilica – the cathedral of the city of Rome – reminding us that every church around the world offers us a direct encounter of the living God when we draw near to the altar to pray.
Mass Readings – The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
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The passage from John’s Gospel marks a low point in the active ministry of Jesus. The people have seen healing miracles and the multiplication of the fishes and loaves, but when they hear the Lord’s teaching about the Eucharist they turn away. It is in this rock-bottom moment that Peter reminds us that we face hard times with the power of our faith in Christ.
Mass Readings – 21st Sunday of the Year
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Jesus states that we must eat his flesh and drink his blood to have eternal life. May our reception of the Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion nourish our souls as the Lord renews us with his grace.
Mass Readings – 20th Sunday of the Year
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Study: What are some of the things that make a dinner special for you? What makes it a feast?
Pray: Offer a prayer for those who go hungry this day – either because they lack food or the companionship to share it.
Serve: Is there someone you know with whom you could share a meal? How might you make your meal a feast with others?
Mass Readings – 20th Sunday of the Year
Growing up in a large Italian-American family, big dinners were a common occurrence. The usual suspects like Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving were typical; but family gatherings (with all the adults talking and the kids talking louder) provided numerous opportunities for people to gather and make the simple task of taking nourishment a beautiful experience for body, mind, heart, and soul.
Tables were set, special foods chosen, delicacies prepared in advance…all these steps to make the dinner something special, something extraordinary.
They were feasts.
Indeed, whenever we take the time and effort to make dining an experience, we create opportunities that touch us on multiple levels. Good food is augmented by delightful conversation, enlivened with beauty, and woven together with human hopes and dreams. A feast is not just an abundance of food; it is a rich expression of God’s goodness working through others to nourish our lives in profound ways.
All of the readings point to different ways the Lord sustains our lives:
Every Mass provides us with the opportunity to draw near the altar and be renewed through our reception of Holy Communion. Christ sets the table for us, inviting us to turn away from destructive and harmful forces, so that we might receive the grace we need to continue on the journey of life.
Come to the Feast!
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Note: This post was first published on August 10, 2015.
In the Scriptures we see a common theme: God’s response to the grumbling, griping, complaining and murmuring of others. May we live each day, not feeding our fears, but feasting on the faith that comes from the Bread of Life!
Mass Readings – 19th Sunday of the Year
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Study: What are some of your regular chores? Which ones do you find boring, dreary, dull, or difficult?
Pray: Take a moment to count your blessings. Consider the many ways you have been blessed by God.
Serve: How can you help someone with a difficult chore? How can you assist another with a challenging task?
Mass Readings – 19th Sunday of the Year
Every summer my sister and I had a standard routine during school vacation. We would get up, have some breakfast, and face the dreaded work list. Our mother was the master of list making – with her perfect penmanship, she would write out the chores that needed to be done before Amy and I could go down to the beach for some fun. We would groan and complain,”This is SO HARD!” while mom just smiled and reminded us that we all have work to do to keep the house running.
One time when I was feeling particularly oppressed, I had the gall to ask, “What did you do?” and I discovered that my folks:
In other words, I quickly discovered that my life – even with my terrible chores – depended completely on them.
Both Elijah and the crowds in the Gospel discover a similar lesson today. Elijah was grumbling and the people were murmuring, but God fed them (both physically and spiritually) with food for this life and the next.
The point is simple: our lives are completely and entirely dependent upon God. While it is true and important to note that we all have work to do, it is crucial to remember that we have this work because God allows it. Our lives are supported every moment by the grace of the Almighty; the Lord sustains our lives so that we might offer them in our work…the “chores” that we get to do. What’s more, God nourishes us so that we can do these chores with strength, courage, and wisdom.
For several weeks now we have heard how God feeds us with heavenly bread; perhaps today we might take a moment in gratitude to thank the Lord for what we have received, so that we can do today’s work with an open mind and a willing heart. May our chores remind us that they are part of life – a gift which we have received from God.
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Note: this blog was first published on August 4, 2015.
Like water and air, we require food to survive. Our physical needs point to similar spiritual nourishment, and Jesus responds by telling us that he is the Bread of Life. May we hunger to receive the Lord regularly in the sacrament of Holy Communion!
Mass Readings – 18th Sunday of the Year
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Study: Reflect on a time at Mass that profoundly spoke to your heart. What stood out?
Pray: Prepare your heart for your next Holy Communion. What do you need to bring to Jesus Christ?
Serve: Is there someone who you can encourage to return to Mass? Can you help them draw near to the table of the Lord?
Mass Readings – 18th Sunday of the Year
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.” John 6:35
We know that our bodies need food to sustain life; what we discover today is that our souls need spiritual food to sustain eternal life. Where do we find this bread from Heaven? Jesus Christ!
Have you ever experienced that feeling when you are exhausted? Out of gas? Wrung out? It is often a sign that we require rest and nourishment; we come to the table to be fed.
The same is true with our souls. There are times when we are intellectually drained, feeling lost and confused, doubting ourselves and uncertain about our next decision. We can feel crushed, worn out by the demands of life and overwhelmed by the challenges that confront us.
What we require is a different type of nourishment – we look to a Person who loves us, understands us, and provides us with the grace and strength, the peace and perspective, to be renewed for the next step on our journey. Christ feeds us with his Body & Blood, so that we might become more fully his disciples; we come to the altar to be fed.
What are you hungry for today? What challenges do you face? May we draw near to the Lord in Holy Communion and allow his love to transform our lives – for this world and for the world to come.
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
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Note: this blog was originally published on July 27, 2015.
Hunger is one of our most basic needs, a reminder that we are dependent on a steady diet of decent nutrition to thrive. This need also applies to our spiritual lives, and we come to the Lord who feeds us with bread from Heaven.
Mass Readings – 17th Sunday of the Year
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Study: Recall a time when you experienced real hunger. What was it like?
Pray: What are you hungry for in your spiritual life? Ask the Lord to feed your soul.
Serve: Consider helping out a food pantry or location that serves meals to those in need. How can you help alleviate hunger around the world?
Mass Readings – 17th Sunday of the Year
The word hunger means many things to different groups of people:
At it’s most basic level, hunger means that we recognize our need for food to keep our bodies going. While most of us have no awareness of famine, we all have the daily experience of the need to eat. Food is necessary for life, and the quality of the food we eat enhances (or detracts) from the quality of our lives.
The same concept applies to our spiritual lives as well. We certainly need a level of physical health to sustain our spiritual lives, but we also require spiritual sustenance to strengthen our souls and renew our hearts.
Jesus knew this. The people coming to him were hungry – body and soul – and his teaching, feeding, and Eucharist sustained them. What’s more, every time we come to the altar we participate in the banquet of his grace. We continue to receive – Body & Blood, Soul & Divinity – the spiritual food we need to flourish.
Practically, when we come to the table may we pray with grateful hearts for the blessing of nutritious food; when we come to the altar may we pray with grateful hearts for the blessing of Christ. In both cases, the hand of the Lord feeds us, he answers all our needs.
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
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Note: This blog was first published on July 21, 2015.
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
Three Great Things 