{"id":13165,"date":"2012-07-25T12:00:05","date_gmt":"2012-07-25T19:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/?p=13165"},"modified":"2015-03-19T15:38:42","modified_gmt":"2015-03-19T22:38:42","slug":"blessed-and-broken","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/2012\/07\/25\/blessed-and-broken\/","title":{"rendered":"Sunday Lectionary: Blessed and Broken"},"content":{"rendered":"

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: 29th July, 2012<\/h2>\n

The Readings this week focus on God’s gracious provision and in the First Reading and the Gospel this gracious provision is manifested through bread.<\/p>\n

In the First Reading, bread is multiplied by the Prophet Elisha and in the Gospel, bread is multiplied at the hands of Jesus. These Readings teach us trust in God, to proclaim with the psalmist that “<\/span>The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs”<\/span>. <\/em>Both of these miracles allude to the Eucharist, pointing towards the time when Jesus will be consumed throughout the world under the appearance of bread and wine.<\/p>\n

In our Second Reading St. Paul tells us that Christians are called to be united in “<\/span>one body…one Spirit…one hope…one Lord, one faith, one baptism;\u00a0one God and Father”<\/span>. <\/em>This oneness and Church unity finds its clearest expression in the Eucharist. At the Mass, we come together as God’s family, and because though “many, [we are] are\u00a0one\u00a0body, for we all share the\u00a0one\u00a0loaf”<\/em><\/span> (1 Corinthains 10:17<\/a>).<\/p>\n

As we gather together at the Liturgy this week, let us be mindful that the whole family of God, both in Heaven and on earth, is gathering together\u00a0with us. United as one, we celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection and are once again fed by the hand of the Lord.<\/em><\/p>\n

There He is: King of kings and Lord of lords, hidden in the bread. To this extreme He humbled Himself for love of you<\/em> \u2013St. Josemaria Escriva<\/span><\/p>\n

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Reading I: 2 Kings 4:42-44<\/h3>\n

The books of 1 & 2 Kings cover the period of time from King David’s death to the end of the monarchy with King Zedekiah of Judah.<\/p>\n

Within the pages of these books we encounter the great Prophet Elijah (“My God is Yahweh”<\/em><\/span>). His ministry comes to an end in\u00a02 Kings 2:11<\/a>\u00a0when he is assumed into Heaven, but only after he has commissioned a successor, the Prophet Elisha\u00a0(“God has saved”<\/em><\/span>).<\/p>\n

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Elisha was a disciple of Elijah… but Not this Elijah…and Elisha fed the people with food that was even better than Lembas bread<\/a>…<\/p><\/div>\n

Today we hear about a miracle worked at the hands of Elijah’s prot\u00e9g\u00e9\u00a0that should seem\u00a0eerily\u00a0familiar to anyone familiar with the life of Jesus…<\/p>\n

A man came from Baal-shalishah bringing to Elisha, the man of God, twenty barley loaves made from the firstfruits, and fresh grain in the ear. Elisha said, “Give it to the people to eat.” But his servant objected, “How can I set this before a hundred people?” Elisha insisted, “Give it to the people to eat.” “For thus says the LORD, ‘They shall eat and there shall be some left over.'” And when they had eaten, there was some left over, as the LORD had said.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Questions:<\/p>\n