This week’s Gospel message for Sunday, June 11th is from John 6:51-58.
“Jesus said to the Jewish crowds: ‘I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world’ . . . ‘Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.’”
Reflection
“The energy we receive from consuming Christ’s Body and Blood can energize us to carry out the mission he calls us to. We are called to be his witnesses, to make disciples, and to build the kingdom. The true food and true drink remind us of his sacrifice, sustain us in our faith, and nourish us. Participating in Christ’s body and blood assists us in participating in Christ’s mission.” SOURCE: Pastoral Patterns, Summer 2023
DAILY READINGS FOR THE WEEK
Monday 2 Corinthians 1:1-7; Matthew 5:1-12
Tuesday 2 Corinthians 1:18-22; Matthew 5:13-16
St. Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church (Memorial) – “Born in Portugal, he joined the Canons Regular of St. Augustine and became a biblical scholar. His contact with some Franciscans inspired him to join the Franciscans. He was sent to Italy, where his great oratorical gifts were noted. He is best known for his help in finding lost objects.”
Wednesday 2 Corinthians 3:4-11; Matthew 5:17-19
Thursday 2 Corinthians 3:15−4:1, 3-6; Matthew 5:20-26
Friday Deuteronomy 7:6-11; 1 John 4:7-16; Matthew 11:25-30
The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Solemnity) – “The heart of Jesus is adored as a symbol of his threefold love: human, spiritual, and divine. By the Middle Ages, the Sacred Heart of Jesus was an object of personal devotion, and in the late seventeenth century the devotion became a liturgical celebration. In modern times, the image of the Sacred Heart in the home is a sign that the love of Jesus rules over the family.” (See also pg. 5.)
Saturday 2 Corinthians 5:14-21; Luke 2:41-51
The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Memorial) – “Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is closely linked with that of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Popular devotion began in the seventeenth century, and, in 1805, permission was given for a local feast of the Pure Heart of Mary. In 1944, the feast was extended to all the western Church. Mary’s Immaculate Heart signifies her sanctity and love as the Mother of God.” SOURCE: Living with Christ, June 2023