18th Sunday 2024 - Year B
The following are prayerful resources rather than a liturgy.
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)
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…
- What do you hunger for spiritually? Share with your group.
- When has your faith helped you believe without “seeing signs” from God? *
* All second questions
© The Pastoral Center
Prayers of Intercession
Today’s readings focus on God’s care and our call to live as people of faith. We are reminded of the need for spiritual nourishment.
We pray for all who preach the word of God, that they may proclaim boldly the never-failing, never-ending love of our Creator.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer
For political leaders everywhere, that they will act with integrity to foster world peace and especially as we commemorate, on August 6th, the horrors of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer
For areas of the world where millions of people lack the essentials of food, water and shelter. May everyone with enough of nature’s resources share these justly and, for the sake of tomorrow, may there be an increase of love for the earth today.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer
For our cluster parishes as we seek to move forward in our faith journey. May those, whom God is calling to use their gifts and talents in this church community, respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer
For ourselves, that we will hunger and thirst for the values of the Kingdom of God. May we put our faith and trust in Christ within, to lead us into ways of living that are truly satisfying and life giving.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer
For everyone who is suffering through illness, depression, loneliness or is in hospital and all on the Prayer Foundation List. May they know in their hearts that God will never abandon them.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For all who have died and reached their heavenly home and in particular………
May they be experiencing eternal joy and peace.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We will now say the 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
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