Gospel Reflection June 19 – Fr. Lynch
Sunday, June 19
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Luke 9:11b-17
Gospel:
Jesus spoke to the crowds about the kingdom of God,
and he healed those who needed to be cured.
As the day was drawing to a close,
the Twelve approached him and said,
“Dismiss the crowd
so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms
and find lodging and provisions;
for we are in a deserted place here.”
He said to them, “Give them some food yourselves.”
They replied, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have,
unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people.”
Now the men there numbered about five thousand.
Then he said to his disciples,
“Have them sit down in groups of about fifty.”
They did so and made them all sit down.
Then taking the five loaves and the two fish,
and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing over them, broke them,
and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.
They all ate and were satisfied.
And when the leftover fragments were picked up,
they filled twelve wicker baskets.
Gospel Reflection:
This week we celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. It is by the Body and Blood of Jesus that our sins have been washed away and we have been redeemed.
Our Lord always knows what’s best for us. This is difficult at times in life to accept but it is reality. Jesus pours out himself on the world as his altar, He also knows what this means for our salvation in the history of the world. Our Lord, in his perfect example to us of selfless generosity, gives himself to everyone and makes us satisfied. Jesus, throughout many scenes in the New Testament always provides and He does so in the feeding of the 5000 peoples in the Gospel of Luke. A true miracle!
When we take time to reflect on Jesus providing for the 5000 peoples with only a few loaves and some fish, we can then begin to reflect on how He feeds us, on how our Lord nourishes us in the Eucharist, (His body and blood) and also in the Sacred Scriptures, living out the “Good News” in the world.
As we celebrate Father’s Day this weekend let us thank our dad’s and pray to the heavenly Father for all fathers. That just as we give thanks to God the Father for providing for us in an all-encompassing manner, we too give thanks to all fathers for providing and sacrificing for their family’s salvation. St. Brigid of Kildare…Pray for us.
Father Lynch