Gospel for the day - 21st Sunday B

John 6:60-69  'Whom shall we go to? You have the message of eternal life.'


Many of his followers heard this and said, "This teaching is too hard. Who can listen to it?"


Without being told, Jesus knew that they were grumbling about this, so he said to them, "Does this make you want to give up? Suppose, then, that you should see the Son of Man go back up to the place where he was before? What gives life is God's Spirit; man's power is of no use at all. The words I have spoken to you bring God's life-giving Spirit. Yet some of you do not believe." (Jesus knew from the very beginning who were the ones that would not believe and which one would betray him.) And he added, "This is the very reason I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father makes it possible for him to do so."


Because of this, many of Jesus' followers turned back and would not go with him any more. So he asked the twelve disciples, "And you-would you also like to leave?"


Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. And now we believe and know that you are the Holy One who has come from God."


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


Copyright © 1996-2021 Universalis Publishing Limited: seewww.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)


Many stopped following Jesus after his challenging words of last week (“My flesh is real food” etc). When Jesus asks his apostles if they too will leave, it is Peter once again who speaks for the group as well as for us today: “Lord, who shall we go to? You have the message of eternal life.”


  1. Before your group meets, write down in a nutshell what you think is the message of eternal life. Share.
  2. In what way has the example of Christian marriage (your own or that of another couple) helped you understand the relationship between Christ and his church?* (Based on the second reading.)

 * All second questions © The Pastoral Center


Prayers of Intercessioner


We ask our heavenly Father to bless and protect Pope Francis as he prepares for his visit to Asia, that his visit will encourage Christians in the region and the wider world to live lives of peace and harmony. May we all trust humbly in the love and power of God to transform conflict into reconciliation. 


Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer 

 

In these uncertain times, we ask God to send his Spirit and open the hearts of all believers, that they inspire those around them to choose their leaders wisely, as God sees the heart and beyond appearances. We ask our Lord and creator to raise up leaders who will seek to serve God, who gives life , as Joshua did, rather than their own egos.


Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer 

 

We ask for the Lords blessing and guidance on Fr Alex and the members of our community who will be leading and serving our faith communities on pastoral councils as we move forward in this time of transformation . May their ears and hearts be opened to what the Spirit is saying to our churches and may they be blessed with wisdom in how to enable us all to grow in faith and in the love of God.


Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer 

 

We bring before our heavenly Father the people and placesafflicted by conflict and violence, that their leaders and peoples of other countries will have compassion and act to bring about peace , so that land and access to resources be used justly for the welfare of all.

We remember particularly those suffering in the Gaza and the Holy Land, in Sudan, Haiti, Yemen, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Russia.


Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer 

 

For those who are burdened with poor health in mind, body or spirit that the Lord would be close to them and help them to be at peace and inspire others to be present to them in their suffering. We remember especially those named by the Prayer Foundation.


Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer 

 

We bring before our heavenly Father our loved ones who have passed way recently especially Aneta Macaulay, Oscar (age 8), Charlie Burns, Ethan Hunter & Cath (Porteous) and those whose anniversaries occur at this time of year. We also remember those who gave their lives to proclaim the Gospel message and remember those named by the Prayer Foundation and ask that the Lord and Our Lady comfort the bereaved in their loss.


We will now say together our prayer to be missionary disciples.


Cluster prayer

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 -  22nd Sunday B

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23   'You put aside the commandment of God to cling to human traditions.'


Some Pharisees and teachers of the Law who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus. They noticed that some of his disciples were eating their food with hands that were ritually unclean - that is, they had not washed them in the way the Pharisees said people should.


For the Pharisees, as well as the rest of the Jews, follow the teaching they received from their ancestors: they do not eat unless they wash their hands in the proper way; nor do they eat anything that comes from the market unless they wash it first. And they follow many other rules which they have received, such as the proper way to wash cups, pots, copper bowls, and beds.


So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law asked Jesus, "Why is it that your disciples do not follow the teaching handed down by our ancestors, but instead eat with ritually unclean hands?"
Jesus answered them, "How right Isaiah was when he prophesied about you! You are hypocrites, just as he wrote:
'These people, says God, honour me with their words, but their heart is really far away from me. It is no use for them to worship me, because they teach man-made rules as though they were God's laws!'


"You put aside God's command and obey the teachings of men."


Then Jesus called the crowd to him once more and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand. There is nothing that goes into a person from the outside which can make him ritually unclean. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that makes him unclean. Listen, then, if you have ears!"


"For from the inside, from a person's heart, come the evil ideas which lead him to do immortal things, to rob, kill, commit adultery, be greedy, and do all sorts of evil things; deceit, indecency, jealousy, slander, pride, and folly - all these evil things come from inside a person and make him unclean."


This is the gospel of the Lord.  Commentary on 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)


A traditionalist traveller packs the same things for every trip irrespective of where they are going. The liberal traveller packs things based only on what they plan to do on the trip. One takes things they will never need; the other often forgets about some essentials…

1. Take a look at your “faith luggage” for your missionary journey. What would be your essentials and what do you need to leave behind?

2. Which words of Jesus provide the most inspiration for the Christian work that you do?*

 * All second questions © The Pastoral Center