By Fr. Andrew Kelly
20TH SUNDAY ORDINAL TIME – AUG. 19
Chapter 6 of John’s Gospel is a profound reflection upon Sunday. The risen Lord gathers believers for the word, body and blood.
If believers believe what they are doing, they will experience what Jesus promises in Sunday’s Gospel (John 6:51-58), and in the past few Sundays’ Gospels.
If believers will listen to the Scriptures as the living word of God, they will be eating of Jesus as the Bread of Life.
“Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.”
Jesus’ promise is: “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.”
Just think about the promise’s immense implications. The divine life Jesus lives in the Father is now the breath believers breathe and the blood that pulsates through believers’ hearts.
For this divine event to happen every Sunday, all believers have to do is “believe into” the person whom they hear, eat and drink.
(Father Andrew Kelly is a retired priest of the Diocese of Davenport.)
Scripture Readings for Aug. 19-26
Sunday
Prv 9:1-6
Eph 5:15-20
Jn 6:51-58
Monday
Ez 24:15-23
Mt 19:16-22
Tuesday
Ez 28:1-10
Mt 19:23-30
Wednesday
Ez 34:1-11
Mt 20:1-16
Thursday
Ez 36:23-28
Mt 22:1-14
Friday
Rv 21:9b-14
Jn 1:45-51
Saturday
Ez 43:1-7ab
Mt 23:1-12
Sunday
Jos 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b
Eph 5:21-32 or Eph 5:2a, 25-32
Jn 6:60-69
