Tag: Year B

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Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

picture of Israelites looking at the manna on the ground

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Mass Readings

Reading 1: Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15
Responsorial: Psalm 78:3-4, 23-24, 25, 54
Reading 2: Ephesians 4:17, 20-24
Gospel: John 6:24-35

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080121.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

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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Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

picture of rock formation with quote from ephesians live a life worthy of the calling that you have received

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Mass Readings

Reading 1: 2 Kings 4:42-44
Responsorial: Psalm 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18
Reading 2: Ephesians 4:1-6
Gospel: John 6:1-15

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072521.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

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 Gospel, we hear a familiar story proclaimed: the multiplication of fish and bread. And our first reading is linked to the Gospel. Jesus invites his disciples to sit and through God’s power, the Lord provides! That is so true in our own lives, isn’t it! We do our part, and the Lord will provide. There is no need to have stress or anxiety. Through God’s providence, we will get what we need if we trust in and live as disciples.

Our second reading comes to us from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. At one level, the reading is about Christian unity. And while that is certainly true, before Paul gets to unity, he talks about the effects of living out our call.

Paul says, “I … urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received…” (Ephesians 4:1).

What does it mean to live in a manner worthy of the call you received?

What does it mean to live as disciples of Christ Jesus? Paul tells us that living out our call should manifest in humility, gentleness, patience, and bearing with one another through love, (Ephesians 4:2-3).

The times we’re living through are so interesting, don’t you think? This is the age of the armchair quarterback! We live in a world where someone with zero medical or scientific training can go about or go online and spread all sorts of interesting medical advice about the pandemic. There are others with zero theological or pastoral training and zero experience as a pastor who bears responsibility for souls, yet somehow, they know better than our bishop or our pope about what our faith really means.

To the armchair quarterbacks out there who call themselves Christian, I’d like to ask if when you emphatically share your ideas, are you filled with humility, gentleness, patience, and bearing with one another through love?

Paul reminds us that there is “one body and one Spirit,” (Ephesians 4:4), not the body of the live and let live as long as you agree with me. I’m sorry, but that’s not a Christian understanding of politics or church. We are one faith, one baptism, one body. Period.

How can you tell if you are on the right path? Well, does your position lead to unity in the community or in the Church? If it doesn’t, then it doesn’t necessarily mean you are wrong. It might mean you need to step back and prayerfully consider your point of view. We call that discernment.

We must remember that the Enemy is always planting seeds of fear and doubt. Sometimes that takes the form of reasonable-sounding and logical ideas. The Enemy wants to keep us in our heads and out of our hearts. The Enemy wants to keep us intellectually engaged so that we are distracted from our relationship with Christ Jesus. In this context, discernment means we need to dig a little deeper and try to understand the broader impact of our actions.

None of this is easy! Today’s Gospel reminds us that we can’t do this alone. Only through God’s providence can we be nourished and only then can we succeed with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

That leads us to homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I encourage you to prayerfully reflect on the following two questions. First, when was the last time you reflected on your call to be a disciple? Second, when you think of your calling, do the words humility, gentleness, patience, and love come to mind? If not, how would you describe your call?

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. PNG.

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. One faith: 172-75
2. The Church is One: 813-22
3. Share of gifts in the communion of the Church: 814-15, 949-59
4. Baptism as foundation of communion among Christians: 1271
5. The Eucharist as thanksgiving: 1328-32
6. The miracle of the loaves and fishes prefigures the Eucharist: 1335

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072521.cfm
Lectionary: 110

Reading 1
2 Kings 4:42-44
A man came from Baal-shalishah bringing to Elisha, the man of God,
twenty barley loaves made from the firstfruits,
and fresh grain in the ear.
Elisha said, “Give it to the people to eat.”
But his servant objected,
“How can I set this before a hundred people?”
Elisha insisted, “Give it to the people to eat.”
“For thus says the LORD,
‘They shall eat and there shall be some left over.’”
And when they had eaten, there was some left over,
as the LORD had said.

Responsorial
Psalm 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18
R. (cf. 16) The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
The eyes of all look hopefully to you,
and you give them their food in due season;
you open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

Reading 2
Ephesians 4:1-6
Brothers and sisters:
I, a prisoner for the Lord,
urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another through love,
striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace:
one body and one Spirit,
as you were also called to the one hope of your call;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in all.

Alleluia
Luke 7:16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A great prophet has risen in our midst.
God has visited his people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
John 6:1-15
Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.
A large crowd followed him,
because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.
Jesus went up on the mountain,
and there he sat down with his disciples.
The Jewish feast of Passover was near.
When Jesus raised his eyes
and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,
he said to Philip,
“Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”
He said this to test him,
because he himself knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered him,
“Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough
for each of them to have a little.”
One of his disciples,
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,
“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;
but what good are these for so many?”
Jesus said, “Have the people recline.”
Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.
So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,
and distributed them to those who were reclining,
and also as much of the fish as they wanted.
When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples,
“Gather the fragments left over,
so that nothing will be wasted.”
So they collected them,
and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments
from the five barley loaves
that had been more than they could eat.
When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,
“This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.”
Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off
to make him king,
he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

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Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

picture of a city street filled with many people

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Mass Readings

Reading 1: Jeremiah 23:1-6
Responsorial: Psalm 23:1-6
Reading 2: Ephesians 2:13-18
Gospel: Mark 6:30-34

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/071821.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

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!

Our readings are packed with so much meaning. This is where a good Bible study comes in – to get behind the text and learn the connections between different readings. But when we hear the Gospel proclaimed and then listen to a homily, our task is to stand in front of the text in the here and now.

Why?

Because Jesus is speaking to us today – right here, right now. Yes, the history and the connections are fascinating and even spiritually fruitful. But the question remains, “What am I supposed to do right now? What do I do with this information?”

In the spirit of lectio divina which Pope Benedict says should always end with actio or action, we should consider how the Word of God invites us to make our lives a gift of charity or love for others.

So, with that understanding, let’s look at our Gospel today.

Remember, last week Jesus sent the disciples out two-by-two. In today’s Gospel, the disciples are returning. They’re telling Jesus all about their journeys. Jesus says to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while,” (Mark 6:31).

Now, this is a super wildly important point. Our lives – at least in the West and most especially in the United States – are always very busy. Our lives are so filled with things to do, places to go, and people to see. We seldom make time to rest in the presence of Jesus.

Hopefully, the pandemic helped us learn that we cannot go back to life as usual. Some things in our lives must change.

Why?

Look at it this way. The greatest weapons that the Enemy has in his possession are fear and doubt. Now, the Enemy will seldom say to you or me, “skip church today, or you don’t have time to pray today.” That’s a sort of direct assault and that’s really not the Enemy’s m.o..

What the Enemy will say is, “Isn’t this a perfect opportunity to put in a few extra hours? It’s nearly time for a raise or the boss is thinking about retention bonuses.” Or, “you know, if your child joins that extra club, then your child will be in a better position for a scholarship.” And there are many variations of those themes, I assure you!

Now, these ideas that Enemy whispers don’t sound threatening, so what’s the harm? The harm is that we find ourselves stuck on a sort of hamster wheel, running as fast as we can, but not getting anywhere.

We end up feeling so exhausted that we have no time for anyone – not even for ourselves! And that’s the tragedy in our lives that contrasts with today’s Gospel. You see, Jesus isn’t inviting you and me to work 60+ hours per week only to ignore our health and wellbeing, or ignore our relationships with our family and friends.

No, in today’s Gospel, Jesus looks out to the crowd following them and experiences pity because they are like sheep without a shepherd (Mark 6:34). You see, the purpose of our work is to build up the Kingdom of God. That means ministering to those who are following us like our spouses or our children or our friends. God did not create you and me for Wall Street. God created you and me for the Kingdom.

How will you respond to God’s invitation to minister to the sheep? That leads us to homework! Nourished by the Word and the Eucharist, I invite you to reflect on the following two questions.
First, how often do you rest in the presence of Jesus every day?
Second, how do you spend time with the people around you – your family and friends?

I think doing our homework will help us become the disciples Christ Jesus calls us 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!

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 on deacon rudy’s notes as we break open the Word. Peace!

Image: Artist unknown. Busy city street. JPG

Bibliography/Suggested Readings:
1. Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008. Kindle.
2. Montague, George T. SM. Mark: A Popular Commentary on the Earliest Gospel. Steubenville, Ohio: Franciscan University Press, 1992.
3. Williams, Peter S. Ephesians. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2009. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Trinitarian communion and the Church: 238, 747
2. The Good Shepherd: 754
3. The Church as the sacrament of unity: 775
4. The Chruch as the one People of God: 781
5. The New Law of freedom: 1972
6. Rest: 2184
7. Christ the source of peace: 2302-5
8. Witness and workers for peace and justice: 2437-2442

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/071821.cfm
Lectionary: 107

Reading 1
Jeremiah 23:1-6
Woe to the shepherds
who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture,
says the LORD.
Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel,
against the shepherds who shepherd my people:
You have scattered my sheep and driven them away.
You have not cared for them,
but I will take care to punish your evil deeds.
I myself will gather the remnant of my flock
from all the lands to which I have driven them
and bring them back to their meadow;
there they shall increase and multiply.
I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them
so that they need no longer fear and tremble;
and none shall be missing, says the LORD.

Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD,
    when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David;
as king he shall reign and govern wisely,
    he shall do what is just and right in the land.
In his days Judah shall be saved,
    Israel shall dwell in security.
This is the name they give him:
    “The LORD our justice.”

Responsorial
Psalm 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Reading 2
Ephesians 2:13-18
Brothers and sisters:
In Christ Jesus you who once were far off
have become near by the blood of Christ.

For he is our peace, he who made both one
and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh,
abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims,
that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two,
thus establishing peace,
and might reconcile both with God,
in one body, through the cross,
putting that enmity to death by it.
He came and preached peace to you who were far off
and peace to those who were near,
for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Alleluia
John 10:27
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mark 6:30-34
The apostles gathered together with Jesus
and reported all they had done and taught.
He said to them,
“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”
People were coming and going in great numbers,
and they had no opportunity even to eat.
So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.
People saw them leaving and many came to know about it.
They hastened there on foot from all the towns
and arrived at the place before them.

When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.