This Sunday we begin the five week long journey through Chapter Six of the Gospel of St. John. The lesson contained in this chapter is especially important because it is all about the Eucharist, and the Eucharist is, as the Catechism teaches us, "the source and summit of the Christian life" (Catechism #1324). That's a serious claim, and we would be wise to learn more about it.
The miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and the fish that the Gospel presents this Sunday was a true miracle, something that happened in Capernaum during the time of the Passover, one year before the Last Supper, the only miracle of Jesus recounted in all four Gospels.
What is the significance of this miracle? The miraculous feeding of such a great multitude pointed to God's provision of manna in the wilderness for the people of Israel under Moses' leadership. This food foreshadowed the true heavenly bread which Jesus would offer His followers. Here Jesus makes a claim which only God can make: He is the true bread of heaven that can satisfy the deepest hunger of human hearts. The sign of the multiplication of the loaves when the Lord said the blessing, broke, and distributed through His disciples prefigures the superabundance of the unique bread of His Eucharist at the Lord’s Supper. When we receive from the Lord’s Table we unite ourselves to Jesus Christ, who makes us sharers in His Body and Blood. Ignatius of Antioch (35-107 A.D.) calls it the "one bread that provides the medicine of immortality, the antidote for death, and the food that makes us live for ever in Jesus Christ" (Ad Eph. 20,2).
The week of July 25-31, 2021 celebrates Natural Family Planning (NFP) under the title: To Have, To Hold, To Honor, supporting God’s gift of love and life in marriage. The dates highlight the anniversary of the Pope Paul VI encyclical Humanae Vitae (July 25) which articulates Catholic beliefs about human sexuality, conjugal love and responsible parenthood. This special time brings an awareness for the scientific, natural and moral methods of family planning that can help married couples either achieve or postpone pregnancies. Since the methods of NFP respect thelove-giving(unitive) and life-giving (procreative) nature of the conjugal act, they support God's design for married love! NFP directly reflects and supports the teaching of the church in regards to the Sacrament of Marriage that symbolizes Christ's relationship with His Church.
In the context of the NFP week, Pope Francis declared July 26 (or the Fourth Sunday in July) as World Day for Grandparents. The date has been chosen to be near the liturgical memorial of Saints Anne and Joachim, grandparents of Jesus. It is appropriate for all NFP Week celebrations to include a reflection upon the vital role that grandparents play in the lives of their grandchildren.
This weekend our parish celebrates our 39th Anniversary. On July 24, 1982, by the decree of Bishop John J. Snyder, St. Luke Parish was established. Please join me in thanksgiving to God for the many parishioners who contributed to establish our parish and many others who worshipped and supported the parish over the years – Multis Annis!
The miracle in today’s Gospel reveals God’s identity and the deepest desire to satisfy the hunger of human hearts. May our encounter with the Eucharistic Jesus this weekend transform our lives to do something beautiful for God with our lives. “Be kind and merciful. Let no one ever come to you without coming away better and happier. Be a living expression of God’s kindness.” –St. Mother Teresa