＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Isaiah 55:1-3

Come here, all you who are thirsty,

Come to the water! All who have no money, come! Yes, without money and at no cost, buy and drink wine and milk.

Why spend money on what is not food and labor for what does not satisfy?Listen to me, and you will eat well; you will enjoy the richest of fare.

 Incline your ear and come to me; listen, that your soul may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, I will fulfill in you my promises to David.

 

Ps 145:8-9, 15-16, 17-18

The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

Romans 8:35, 37-39

 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Will it be trials, or anguish, persecution or hunger, lack of clothing, or dangers or sword?   No, in all of this we are more than con­querors, thanks to him who has loved us.

  I am certain that neither death nor life, neither angels nor spiritual powers, neither the present nor the future, nor cosmic powers,   were they from heaven or from the deep world below, nor any creature whatsoever will separate us from the love of God, which we have in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Matthew 14:13-21

When Jesus went ashore, he saw the crowd gathered there and he had compassion on them. And he healed their sick.  Late in the afternoon, his disciples came to him and said, “We are in a lonely place and it is now late. You should send these people away, so they can go to the villages and buy something for themselves to eat.”

 But Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat.” They answered, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fishes.” Jesus said to them, “Bring them here to me.”

 Then he made everyone sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and the two fishes, raised his eyes to heaven, pronounced the blessing, broke the loaves and handed them to the disciples to distribute to the people. 

And they all ate, and everyone had enough; then the disciples gathered up the leftovers, filling twelve baskets. About five thousand men had eaten there besides women and children.

  

Gospel Reflection：

Read:

God offers himself as someone who quenches our thirst, strengthens us against trials, and fills us in our hunger. He does not only fill us, he gives us endless reserves if we stick with him.

Reflect:

Jesus’ miraculous multiplication of bread and fish for the crowd is not only an act of crisis intervention. It is more of sustaining the crowd’s energy to follow him.

Jesus does not want to lose the people as opposed to the disciples’ suggestion to have them dismissed.

He does not want them to lose momentum. The many excess food that the disciples gathered indicates Jesus’ willingness to supply the people with more reserves so that they do not go away from Him. Jesus assures that if we stick with him, we never ask and long for anything else.

Pray:

We pray for everyone who tire themselves every day that they get the satisfaction in all their labors and energies spent.

Act:

Help a beggar or homeless person gets his or her needs not just through one shot almsgiving. Give him or her an opportunity to get food or shelter sustainable through training and job.