YOUTH MINISTRY
Seventeenth Sunday, Ordinary Time, July 28, 2024
From the Deacon’s Desk Reflection on Today’s Gospel Reading
Have you ever noticed that on the seventeenth Sunday, year B, in the liturgical cycle, begins a five week stretch of Gospel readings from John which focus on the real presence of Jesus, body, soul, and divinity, in the sacrament of the Eucharist? In year B, we normally read from Mark’s gospel. So, why the sudden change?
Now, Mark is the shortest of the Gospels, so in order to fill out the year, the Church inserts John chapter 6 into the middle of the Lectionary readings, near Mark 6, which recounts the same event, the Feeding of the Five Thousand.
John’s account, however, is much longer and includes a long discourse on the theme of Jesus, the Bread of Life, which are often referred to as the Bread of Life discourses. John does not have a year designated to it in the three, year Liturgical Cycle. Year A is devoted to Matthew, B is devoted to Mark and year C is devoted to Luke. The Gospel of John is read every year during Advent, Lent, Easter, or other significant feast days. John 6, however doesn’t fit naturally into either the Advent-Christmas cycle or the Lent-Easter-Pentecost cycle, leaving it as the obvious fill in for the middle of Ordinary Time in Year B.
The Gospel reading this week is John’s account of the feeding of the five thousand. This event can easily be connected in its details to the Last Supper where Jesus institutes the sacrament of the Eucharist. First of all, both events are connected with the feast of Passover. Second, it is no coincidence that Jesus is sitting down on a mountain, just like he will sit down on top of Mount Zion for the Last Supper. Third, Jesus commands the people to “lie down” translated from the Greek word anapipto. The only other times this verb occurs in the Gospel of John are with reference to Jesus or the Apostle John reclining at table for the Last Supper. Fourthly note that John describes Jesus multiplying the loaves by using five words that occur in the Last Supper Institution Narratives. They are “take”, “give thanks”, “distribute”, and “recline”. Finally, John describes the bread that remains after everyone has eaten using the rare word klasmata, which literally means “breakings,” a word that is echoed in the Last Supper account that speaks of Jesus “breaking” the bread.
In the coming weeks we will hear the discourse from John 6 that follows. There will be more themes that parallel the Last Supper/Institution of the Eucharist. The most striking will be when Jesus discusses the idea of eating his flesh and drinking his blood, which are repeated by Jesus at the Last Supper.
When we receive the Eucharist, we are receiving Jesus’ body, blood, soul, and divinity. The Bread of Life discourses found in John 6 challenge us to believe in the true presence of the Eucharist, and Jesus is the one who is telling us that this is true.
These next five weeks are a good time to reflect on the real presence of the Jesus in the Eucharist and to respond with reverence and awe when we receive, and when we return to our pews our hearts should be wide open to the transformational power of the sacrament so that every time we receive Jesus in Holy Communion, we become more like Christ himself and one step closer to heaven.
Youth Ministry Announcements
NOW (Night of Worship): The next night that we will meet is Monday, August 7, 7:00 to 9:00, at Holy Family Hall and church in Frenchtown. All high school students are invited from the Family of Parishes for a night of fun, faith and fellowship.
Loading of the Truck at the End of the Right to Life Garage Sale: On Friday night August 9, there will be loading of the truck with all the leftover items from the Right to Life Garage Sale. All Youth and their families are invited to volunteer which will make the job faster and easier. Loading will begin at the K of C Hall in Versailles at 6:00 p.m. If anyone needs service hours this would be a great opportunity to get some.
Youth Mass for the Family of Parishes: This year religious education along with youth ministry are kicking off the CCD year with a Mass at St. Louis Catholic Church in North Star, at 7:00 p.m. All High School students are expected to attend. Father Jones will be the main celebrant for the Mass. Parents and other family members are encouraged to go to this special Mass
High School Youth Ministry Sessions: The summer is flying by and High School Youth Ministry is again around the corner. Regular weekly sessions will begin this year on Wednesday, September 4. The times are different this year. The high school will be meeting separate from the Middle School in the St. Denis Rectory from 6:45 to 7:25 every week that there is CCD.
Middle School Youth Ministry Sessions: Middle School Youth Ministry and will resume on September 4, 2021 for the new CCD year and will be held every Wednesday beginning with benediction at 6:05 p.m. immediately followed by Youth Ministry which will end 7:25 p.m. right religion classes which start at 7:30 p.m.
Breakfast With the Lord: The first Breakfast with the Lord will be on First Friday September 6 beginning with Mass at 6:30 a.m. followed by breakfast in the church basement.