Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Welcome back for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes! I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and together we’re going to break open the Word!

In today’s first reading from Exodus, the Israelites didn’t recognize God’s providence. “What is this?” they asked when they saw the manna (Exodus 16:15). They didn’t even know how to describe it. That’s why they called it hoarfrost. You see, they were so fixed on their complaint. And they lamented what they lost. God’s providence came out of left field.

It’s pretty similar to what we hear in today’s Gospel. Jesus tells the disciples who are following him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled” (John 6:26). He goes on to tell them, “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you” (John 6:27).

Light is starting to dawn on marble heads. So, they asked him for a sign – as if they hadn’t seen many signs like multiplying loaves and fish wasn’t enough, let alone all the healings they witnessed or heard about! They had the gall to ask Jesus for yet another sign!

What’s going on?

Well, they had a problem, you see, and they had in their minds the only plausible solution – a political solution. Israel was occupied by Rome and they understood Scripture to say that the Savior would free them from Roman occupation. It never occurred to them, that God would provide for their needs in a completely different way.

Undoubtedly Jesus’s words seemed so cryptic. We now know that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Light. We know that Jesus – not only historical Jesus, but Jesus present in the Eucharist – sustains us, nourishes us, and encourages us to stay the course despite the problems and obstacles that we face in our lives. That’s huge! But it also points to a reality of God’s providence. The Lord will provide, but can I see it? Do I see with the eyes of faith? Can I understand that God’s help may look different than what I envision?

You see, if I believe that the Eucharist is the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus – if I believe that I am saved by the blood of Christ Jesus, then is any problem insurmountable? Yes, I might have problems in my life, but because I am a disciple of Jesus – because I am saved, my problem is not a crisis. It’s just a problem, not unlike a puzzle to be solved. The fate of my life – my destiny doesn’t rest in the answer to most of the problems that I face in my life.

Why? Because I live my life in the light of faith. Jesus is the path. There is no other way – period.

But that doesn’t mean that God leaves us to our own devices. No, God listens to our prayers and the Lord provides! But can I recognize the help God may have given me in someone else? Maybe that person I tried to brush off was actually an answer to a prayer – only I didn’t see it. Or, maybe I am the answer to someone else’s prayer. But I’m too busy to stop and visit with someone who bumps into me at the store. Maybe an opportunity for a hug, or opportunity to listen, or an opportunity to pray with someone is just what God was trying to provide. If I’m too caught up in myself and my “problems” I might miss God’s grace.

It sounds simple, doesn’t it? And you know what? It is! The journey to which we are called and our prayer life is much simpler than we realize. We like to complicate things. Because we like to complicate things, we think the answers should be complicated. Resist.

Just by my attitude, my willingness to persevere, my willingness to negotiate whatever maze is presented can uncomplicate my life and maybe those around me. If I walk with Christ Jesus – if I walk with the gift of the Eucharist, then I’m better able to avail myself of all God’s gifts and blessings. I’m better able to see as we heard in our psalm that the Lord has given us bread from heaven!

Homework! Blessed by the gifts of the Word of God and the Eucharist, I encourage you to prayerfully reflect on the following two questions.
First, when have I felt the grace of God’s gifts in my life?
Second, in what way am I a gift to other people?

I think doing our homework will help us be the intentional disciples we are called to be! Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you Father, Son and Holy Spirit. +Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Thank you for joining me today. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word. Peace!

Image: Artist Unknown. Manna and Quail from Heaven. JPG.

Bibliography/Suggested Readings:
1. Martin, Francis and William M. Wright IV. The Gospel of John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2015. Kindle.
2. Williamson, Peter S. Ephesians. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2009. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Obstacles to knowing God: 37
2. Necessity of faith: 161
3. Symbols of the Holy Spirit: 698
4. Christ prefigured by the manna: 1094
5. Eucharistic signs of bread and wine: 1333-36
6. Conversion of the baptized: 1427-33
7. The new life in Christ: 1691-96
8. Catechesis: 1697-98
9. Culpable ignorance: 1791-92
10. Proliferation of sin: 1865-69

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080121.cfm
Lectionary: 113

Reading 1
Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15
The whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron.
The Israelites said to them,
“Would that we had died at the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt,
as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread!
But you had to lead us into this desert
to make the whole community die of famine!”

Then the LORD said to Moses,
“I will now rain down bread from heaven for you.
Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion;
thus will I test them,
to see whether they follow my instructions or not.

“I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites.
Tell them: In the evening twilight you shall eat flesh,
and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread,
so that you may know that I, the LORD, am your God.”

In the evening quail came up and covered the camp.
In the morning a dew lay all about the camp,
and when the dew evaporated, there on the surface of the desert
were fine flakes like hoarfrost on the ground.
On seeing it, the Israelites asked one another, “What is this?”
for they did not know what it was.
But Moses told them,
“This is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.”

Responsorial
Psalm 78:3-4, 23-24, 25, 54
R. (24b) The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
What we have heard and know,
and what our fathers have declared to us,
we will declare to the generation to come
the glorious deeds of the LORD and his strength
and the wonders that he wrought.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
He commanded the skies above
and opened the doors of heaven;
he rained manna upon them for food
and gave them heavenly bread.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
Man ate the bread of angels,
food he sent them in abundance.
And he brought them to his holy land,
to the mountains his right hand had won.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.

Reading 2
Ephesians 4:17, 20-24
Brothers and sisters:
I declare and testify in the Lord
that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do,
in the futility of their minds;
that is not how you learned Christ,
assuming that you have heard of him and were taught in him,
as truth is in Jesus,
that you should put away the old self of your former way of life,
corrupted through deceitful desires,
and be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
and put on the new self,
created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.

Alleluia
Matthew 4:4b
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
One does not live on bread alone,
but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
John 6:24-35
When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there,
they themselves got into boats
and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
And when they found him across the sea they said to him,
“Rabbi, when did you get here?”
Jesus answered them and said,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
you are looking for me not because you saw signs
but because you ate the loaves and were filled.
Do not work for food that perishes
but for the food that endures for eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you.
For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”
So they said to him,
“What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”
So they said to him,
“What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you?
What can you do?
Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written:
He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”
So Jesus said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
it was not Moses who gave 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.”

So they said to him,
“Sir, give us this bread always.”
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.”

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