Sunday, August 12, 2012

Gospel Reflection

 
August 12, 2012
Sunday
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
by Rev. Fr. Caloy Reyes
Edsa Shrine

First Reading:               1 Kings 19:4-8
Psalm:                         Psalm 34:2-9
Second Reading:           Ephesians 4:30 -- 5:2
Gospel:                        John 6:41-51    

41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven." 42 They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, `I have come down from heaven'?" 43 Jesus answered them, "Do not murmur among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, `And they shall all be taught by God.' Every one who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. 46 Not that any one has seen the Father except him who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh."

HOMILY

The Gospel for this Sunday is still about Jesus as the Bread of Life. Jesus is the true and ultimate Sacrificial Lamb and through His most loving sacrifice and giving of His precious Body and Blood, He has drawn us back to the Father and saved us. And if He saved us then, He will save us now.

Si Jesus ay laging nasa atin every time we partake of His Body in Holy Communion. Nasa loob na natin si Hesus pag na-receive na natin Siya sa Holy Communion kaya wala nang makakapaghiwalay sa atin sa Kanya. Dahil nasa atin si Hesus, ang lahat ng nararamdaman at nararanasan natin ay nararamdaman at nararanasan din Niya. Kaya di daw tayo dapat mawalan ng pag-asa.

We need to ALWAYS recognize Jesus in the host so that as He nourishes us in the Eucharist, our hope and strength are renewed.