17th Sunday - B

Commentary

John 6: 1-15

A Boy with Five Barley Loaves

A nameless boy in a system that placed children at the bottom of its social ranks.

He had five loaves of bread.  While the crowd of hungry people numbered more than five thousand.

And his bread was made of barley, the kind of bread poor people ate.

Who am I?

What do I have to offer?

What are the needs of people?

Yet, Jesus wants to work with me and to use what I have.

17th Sunday - B (July 26, 2015)

Readings

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16th Sunday - B

Commentary

Mark 6: 30-34

"His Heart Is Moved with Pity for Them"

The apostles returned from the mission that Jesus sent them (last week’s Gospel).  They did a lot.  

Yet, people still come and go in great numbers.  And people keep coming.  There are always people in need.

Jesus know the needs of the people.  Jesus know the people.  And “his heart is moved with pity for them.”

We can never do enough.  

There will be always people in need.

May we grow in the attitude of Jesus, whose “heart is moved with pity for them.”

Also, may we trust that Jesus knows us and our needs; and that “his heart is moved with pity” for us.  

16th Sunday - B (July 19, 2015)

Readings

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15th Sunday - B

Commentary
Mark 6: 7-13

It is Jesus’ Mission

There are three significant verbs in the way Jesus commissions the Twelve: summon, send, and give authority.

All these three verbs point to the truth that the initiative is from Jesus.

It is Jesus who has first called these Twelve to follow him.  And it is a part of God’s plan for salvation for humanity that these people were called.  Earlier, the author of this Gospel wrote, "Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him.  He appointed twelve , whom he also named apostles, that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach” (3: 13-14).

They have been with him and learned from him as he taught.  They have experienced his power.  They have witnessed the way he forgave sinners and cared for the people who are in need.  They have learned of his zeal for his mission.  And they have seen him in prayer.

Now, he sends them with his authority.

With the same pattern Jesus is sharing with us his mission of proclaiming the Good News of God’s salvation.

He calls us.  He prepares us, and he sends us, with his authority.

It is always a privilege and a grace to be called and to be sent by Jesus.  

This should give us both humility and courage.  

It is always Jesus’s mission, not ours.

15th Sunday - B (July 12, 2015)

Readings

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