John 6:1-15  'Jesus gave out as much as was wanted to all who were sitting ready.'


After this, Jesus went across Lake Galilee (or, Lake Tiberias, as it is also called). A large crowd followed him, because they had seen his miracles of healing those who were ill. Jesus went up a hill and sat down with his disciples.
The time for the Passover Festival was near. Jesus looked round and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, so he asked Philip, "Where can we buy enough food to feed all these people?" (He said this to test Philip; actually he already knew what he would do.)
Philip answered, "For everyone to have even a little, it would take more than two hundred silver coins to buy enough bread."
Another of his disciples, Andrew, who was Simon Peter's brother, said, "There is a boy here who has five loaves of barley bread and two fish. But they will certainly not be enough for all these people."
"Make the people sit down," Jesus told them. (There was a lot of grass there.) So all the people sat down; there were about five thousand men. Jesus took the bread, gave thanks to God, and distributed it to the people who were sitting there. He did the same with the fish, and they all had as much as they wanted. When they were all full, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces left over; let us not waste any." So they gathered them all up and filled twelve baskets with the pieces left over from the five barley loaves which the people had eaten.
Seeing this miracle that Jesus had performed, the people there said, "Surely this is the Prophet ' who was to come into the world!" Jesus knew that they were about to come and seize him in order to make him king by force; so he went off again to the hills by himself.

This is the gospel of the Lord. Commentary of the readings.

Copyright © 1996-2021 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.

Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). All rights reserved

Having used our prayer resources, you might want simply to reflect yourself on them and how that might flow into your coming week. Some people have found it very helpful to meet with others and share their thoughts.
If you are interested  in joining a small group to share your thoughts and feelings about God's Word from any of the resources you have watched please email us.         cluster.alpha@outlook.com

Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)

Before we go reaching for Eucharistic metaphors, consider how Jesus thinks of peoples’ basic needs – they’ve walked a long way and now they’re hungry. Again and again he demonstrates how the flame of faith is lit with the spark of compassionate concern for what people lack right there and then.

Never try to feed the gospel to people with empty stomachs.


  1. Have you ever heard of people being "evangelised/having their faith awakened" by the kindness and compassion of others?
  2. When has the generous gift of another offered you hope? *

 * All second questions © The Pastoral Center

Prayers of Intercession

 

In today’s Gospel we hear about the miracle of Jesus feeding his five thousand followers. Every time we celebrate the Eucharist we witness another miracle the transformation of bread and wine into Jesus’ body and blood and we are nourished by this.

That the Church, led by Pope Francis, will never tire of caring for the hungriest and poorest in the world.

Lord in your mercy….


For all those who govern others that they too will work to care about those most in need, putting this before any of their own ambitions.

Lord in your mercy…


That we all work to build a just society recognising the inequalities which exist and that no-one will lack any basic need.

Lord in your mercy….


For all Eucharistic ministries who bring the Bread of Life to others be renewed in their commitment in bringing the Holy Eucharist to those unable to join the community at Mass and that they may be a sign of the presence of Christ in our community.

Lord in your mercy…


On Sunday 28th July we celebrate World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. We give thanks to God for all grandparents and the Elderly and pray that we will always have the health and strength to care for them as they have cared for us.

Lord in your mercy…


For all those on the prayer foundation list and all those sick in mind, body or soul that the gifts of courage and strength from the Holy Spirit will ease their pain and burden.

Lord in your mercy…


For all those who have died, we remember especially Richard Ross, Jeanette Mulgrew, Charlie Burns, Ethan Hunter, Mark McHugh Pratt, Helen Barrett & Anne Grieve and those whose anniversaries occur at this time that they may be now enjoying the fullness of eternal life with our Father in heaven.

Lord I your mercy….


For all those who mourn loved ones that they will know the healing touch of Christ in their lives.

Lord in your mercy….


Let us now say together our prayer to be missionary disciples.

Lord continue to bless our community
in this time of transition.
Help us on our journey
to grow from a maintenance church
to a missionary church.
Give us the courage
to be missionary disciples.
Make our doors wide enough
to receive all who need
human love and fellowship;
narrow enough to shut out
all envy, pride and prejudice.
Kindle in us the fire of your love
that all who come here
will find joy, peace and love.
Make this a house of prayer
and a gateway to your kingdom.
AMEN

Preparing for next week -  18th Sunday B

John 6:24-35   'He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never thirst.'


When the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they got into those boats and went to Capernaum, looking for him.
When the people found Jesus on the other side of the lake, they said to him, "Teacher, when did you get here?"
Jesus answered, "I am telling you the truth: you are looking for me because you ate the bread and had all you wanted, not because you understood my miracles.
Do not work for food that goes bad; instead, work for the food that lasts for eternal life. This is the food which the Son of Man will give you, because God, the Father, has put his mark of approval on him.”

So they asked him, "What can we do in order to do what God wants us to do?"

Jesus answered, "What God wants you to do is to believe in the one he sent."

They replied, "What miracle will you perform so that we may see it and believe you? What will you do

Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, just as the scripture says, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

"I am telling you the truth," Jesus said. "What Moses gave you was not the bread from heaven; it is my

Father who gives you the real bread from heaven.

For the bread that God gives is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

“Sir,” they asked him, “give us this bread always.”

“I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”


This is the gospel of the Lord. Commentary of the readings. 

Copyright © 1996-2021 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.

Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). All rights reserved



Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)

Just as the people saw Jesus as a source of “free bread” sometimes we might have seen Mass/Communion as our weekly obligation yielding a “free pass” to salvation. It would be a strange Parent who fed the children just once a week…

1. What do you hunger for spiritually? Share with your group.

2. When has your faith helped you believe without “seeing signs” from God? *

 * All second questions © The Pastoral Center