20th Sunday in Ordinary Time(Cycle B, Year I)

Community Word:  Those who believe in Jesus, the Living Bread, will neither hunger, nor thirst.

Theme:   We will never hunger or thirst when we feed on His word.

Promise:  “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him on the last day.”(Jn 6:54)

Reflection:
God sent His beloved Son Jesus to be with us and to restore us to eternal life.  Our understanding of eternal life is often limitedly defined as our destination after this earthly life is over.  But eternal life is what God has already given us, from the beginning of times, the here and now.  And although man has sinned, understanding God’s plan of salvation for us creates our inner desire to be renewed to eternal life in knowing, serving and loving God and helps us to prepare for it.

A young man approached Jesus and asked: “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?”  Jesus’ reply was forthright: remain in me and follow me, follow my word and do the will of the Father.  In obeying the commandments of the Lord not to be focused on our worldly attachments and priorities, but to share with and love those who are poor, we will surely have a home and treasure in heaven. Eternal life does not begin when we die, but it is doing good in this life according to the will of our Father that makes eternal life happen for us.

Jesus is the Good Teacher who reveals to us everything that the Father wants us to know and understand.  Jesus is the Word of God who nourishes our soul and continues to invite us to Him:  “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.”  This is our Community Theme for this week – We will never hunger or thirst when we feed on His word.

Our life on earth may be a difficult journey to take and that is why it is necessary to be spiritually nurtured in the life of the Spirit and be nourished by the Body and Blood of Jesus Himself in sacrament of the Eucharist.  The Eucharist is to be believed, to be celebrated and above all to be lived.  Jesus has also given us the word of God in the Holy Scriptures that we may love God, walk in His ways, and keep His commands and statutes.

And as we are nourished by God’s word through the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, we can openly claim this week’s Promise: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him on the last day,” (John 6:54).

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us Jesus, my spiritual food, as I journey in this world.  Through the Holy Eucharist, Jesus’ presence truly brings much joy and fulfillment in my life.  By the revelation of your word thru Jesus, continue to nourish my whole being, mind, body, and heart with Your Spirit that I may experience fullness of life.  Amen.

Reflection Questions:
1. How much time do you spent in reading and studying the bible?  Do you participate in your ministry’s weekly word sharing circles and use this time to reflect on God’s message for you?

2. What do you plan to do so that the daily readings of God’s word in the Holy Bible become alive in your life?

This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
August 16, 2015 (Sun)    Prv 9:1-6/Ps 34:2-3,4-5,6-7/Eph 5:15-20/Jn 6:51-58
August 17, 2015 (Mon)    Jgs 2:11-19/Ps 106:34-35,36-37,39-40,43,44/Mt 19:16-22
August 18, 2015 (Tue)    Jgs 6:11-24/Ps 85:9,11-12,13-14/Mt 19:23-30
August 19, 2015 (Wed)    Jgs 9:6-15/Ps 21:2-3, 4-5,6-7/Mt 20:1-16
August 20, 2015 (Thu)    Jgs 11:29-39/Ps 40:5,7-8,8-9,10/Mt 22:1-14
August 21, 2015 (Fri)       Ru 1:1,3-6,14-16,22/Ps 146:5-6,6-7,8-9,9-10/Mt 22:34-40
August 22, 2015 (Sat)     Ru 2:1-3,8-11;4:13-17/Ps 128:1-2,3,4,5/Mt 23:1-12

“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ.  Read your Bible daily!”

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