Scripture Reflections for the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Year B, Lectionary 113
Humanity often grumbles and challenges God for what we think we need. Because we are tied to the world we seek to nourish our stomachs but God knows we need to more importantly feed our souls. Jesus is that nourishment that came down from heaven so that we can be filled with the divine. Once full of the divine we can truly be in communion with God.
Hate feeling lost on Sundays at church? Searching for a better explanation of the Bible than what you hear from your pastor's sermon? Check out the following collection of audio, video, and text commentaries from various Christian experts for a better understanding of today's scripture that deal with: Abundance • Addiction • Choice • Complain • Connected • Desire • Dialogue • Eucharist • Exodus • Faith • Feed • Focus • Food • Gift • Grateful • Greed • Happiness • Healing • Heaven • Holy • Hunger • Liberation • Loneliness • Love • Magic • Manna • Miracle • Morality • Mystery • Obedience • Passover • Perish • Praise • Prayer • Priority • Restless • Sacrament • Sacrifice • Satisfy • Scarcity • Sight • Sign • Surprise • Transient • Trust • Understand •
“we imagine ourselves tackling the problems of tomorrow with the resources of today and we know that the resources we have today won't handle that problem of tomorrow and the Lord says 'that's right, it won't but I'll give you what you need tomorrow'”
“You're not just called to be a member of the parish register of Ephesus, of the church at Ephesus, right, not just called to be a member of the local church. You are called to righteousness and holiness, you're called to become a new person, to put on a new nature in Christ”
“it’s about community but on the tip-top of that, it is about all of us following God”
“Don't focus on the bread in your hand but on the one who gives it to you, the one who desires to be so close to you so as to become food for you”
“Although the manna came from heaven it was earthly food. The people ate it but they were soon hungry again. Human beings hunger for more. The feeding of the multitude is a sign pointing to Jesus who alone can satisfy our deepest hunger and thirst.”
“there are no leftovers in the spiritual life. No matter how hard I pray on Sunday I'll still need God's presence with me on Monday morning”
“whether or not they were conscious of it, they were moving with that faith and that hope that so many of us aspire to, meaning that moving through the dark and trusting God to guide us and to direct us”
“You who are looking for companionship, look to God first. You who are looking for a spouse, look to God first...because God already knows what you need and is just waiting for you to ask the Provider for what you need.”
“Jesus wants us to go beyond our stomach to our souls. No matter how beautiful the road is we must not forget our destination.”
“Even in my stumbling, in my mistakes, in my transgressions, I can learn to trust in God”
“If we develop the habit of reflecting on everything around us and listening to what God wants to tell us through them, we will live a more fulfilled life”
“And unfortunately a lot of the obstacles on our journey don't come from outside but they come from within. Things like bitterness and anger and harsh words and slander and malice towards others can become almost like potholes or roadblocks on our true journey to the Kingdom of Heaven.”
“Nourished and sustained by the bread of life of the Eucharist we can be both bread for others in a metaphorical sense and help those who are physically hungry get access to sustainable and lasting food security”
