Sunday Prep

BIBLE STUDY
CHILDREN
COMMENTARY
HOLY SEE
HOMILIES
MUSIC

CATHOLIC PERIODICALS

Prayers of the
Faithful

Governing Authorities and Salvation of the World

Those Burdened by Adversity or Difficulties

18B Intro Podcast

TRANSCRIPT

This Week’s Readings

FR. DON: Hi everyone, in this week’s podcast Tonya and I will be focusing on the Mass Readings for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time. In this segment, we introduce each of the readings and then look at three anecdotes or homily starters which can be used in giving a homily.

TONYA: This week’s message is all about balancing what we feed our bodies with what we feed our souls. It’s essential to connect with God through His word and the Eucharist, ’cause that’s the real deal – the Heavenly Bread. When we focus on that spiritual food, we remember that only God can fulfill the different kinds of spiritual hunger we all feel.

FR. DON: In the first reading, we hear about how God took care of His people’s physical needs in the desert, hooking them up with manna and quail. But here’s the catch: God had some rules for collecting that manna, reminding everyone that they needed to rely on Him completely and trust that He’d always come through. The Responsorial Psalm backs this up, calling manna “Heavenly bread” and “bread of angels.” It’s a solid reminder that just like He did for the Israelites, God still provides for us today.

TONYA: St. Paul drops some wisdom on the Ephesians, telling them to focus on their spiritual cravings by ditching their old, not-so-great habits. Instead, he says they should lead fresh lives full of love, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness – basically, all the good stuff. Paul’s point is that when we accept Jesus as our main source of nourishment for our souls, we’re completely transformed. And since we’ve been fed with the Heavenly Bread and God’s word, it’s only right that we show our gratitude by letting the Holy Spirit guide our actions and living lives that reflect Christ’s values.

FR. DON: In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus straight-up telling people that He is the Bread of Life, and if they come to Him, they’ll never be spiritually hungry or thirsty again. That’s a pretty big claim, but Jesus is offering something way beyond regular bread – He’s serving up the Bread from Heaven, the kind that fills people up with eternal life. The catch? You’ve gotta have faith in Jesus Christ and let God into your heart to get a slice of this bread. When Jesus shared this wisdom with the crowd, some folks were on board, but others just couldn’t handle the commitment and bounced.

Homily Starters

FR. DON: Tonya and I will now pick three anecdotes from Father Tony’s homily starters. Each week you can find over 25 of these anecdotes to begin your homily. The title of each anecdote will be given along with the scripture reading it is related to. I will then read it, and Tonya will give us Father Tony’s comments about it. We will then discuss each anecdote further.

ALL ABOUT FOOD, EARTHLY AND HEAVENLY – The Gospel

FR. DON: In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks about food. The two biggest sellers in any bookstore, according to Andy Rooney, are the cookbooks and the diet books. The cookbooks tell us how to prepare the food, and the diet books tell us how not to eat any of it! A California scientist has computed that the average human being eats 16 times his or her own weight in an average year, while a horse eats only eight times its weight. This all seems to prove that if you want to lose weight, you should eat like a horse. That’s a subject most of us know too much about.

TONYA: Here is Father Tony’s take on this: In one way or another, many of us are obsessed with earthly food. Think what a difference it would make in our lives if we were equally obsessed with Heavenly Food, the Food that Christ gives us!

FR. DON: The passage serves as a reminder that prioritizing spiritual well-being can positively impact our lives and enhance our overall fulfillment. However, while the comparison between human and animal eating habits is an engaging way to address overeating, it simplifies complex issues surrounding human nutrition and overlooks other factors contributing to weight gain.

FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS AND THE LIKE – The Gospel

FR. DON: Most Americans eat well. To have three square meals a day is not uncommon. Indeed, many eat five or six times a day, if coffee breaks, evening snacks and other times of eating are counted, in addition to breakfast, lunch, and supper. Drive through a town of any consequence and count the number of fast-food places and restaurants that are found. At some corners of major roads or along a block or two of a busy thoroughfare you may find five to ten feeding establishments. It is not uncommon to find in close proximity McDonald’s, Burger King, Arby’s, Subway, Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Dairy Queen, Long John Silver’s, Wendy’s, and Taco Bell as well as lesser-known or local look-a-like fast food establishments. Go into a major supermarket and count the variety of products that are similar. The only discernible difference often is in the trade name. Whole aisles will be filled with a vast array of cereals. Another aisle will be filled with competing brands of soft drinks: Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Dr. Peper, 7 Up, and lesser known or store brands.

TONYA: Here is Father Tony’s take on this: Try to find in the same area a religious bookstore. Compare the size of the religious book and supply store with the supermarket. It does not appear that people are as eager to be fed spiritually as they are to be fed physically! In John 6, Jesus takes the preoccupation of the crowds with food and drink as an occasion to move from physical eating and drinking to the more important needs of the spirit. Nourishment is needed for spiritual life and growth.

FR. DON: The anecdote’s perspective that people seem less eager to pursue spiritual nourishment is thought-provoking, and the connection made to John 6:24-35, where Jesus emphasizes the importance of spiritual sustenance, strengthens the argument. The critique ultimately serves as a call for balancing physical and spiritual nourishment in daily life, an important message in today’s materialistic society. However, While the passage effectively addresses the imbalance between physical and spiritual well-being, it is important to acknowledge that the pursuit of spiritual nourishment may manifest in various forms beyond religious bookstores. Digital platforms, podcasts, and community gatherings, for example, can also serve as avenues for spiritual growth and connection with others.

JESUS IN A TORTILLA – The Gospel

FR. DON: Some people might not like this one. It’s suppose to be a true story. We’ll have a lot to say about it, but let me read it first.

FR. DON: Many years ago, a Mrs. Maria Rubio of Lake Arthur, New Mexico, was rolling out tortillas for lunch when she saw something that took her breath away. Looking back at her from a flat tortilla was the face of Jesus! The skillet had burned a perfect representation of a slender, bearded face onto the surface of the bread. Now I am not certain how Mrs. Rubio knew that this was Jesus, but she convinced a reluctant priest to bless the piece of bread, then she built a shrine around it. Mrs. Rubio quit her job so she could devote all her time to tending the tortilla shrine. Friends, neighbors, even strangers stopped by to look at it, or to pray in front of it. Mrs. Rubio, who also prays nightly in front of the tortilla, has said, “I do not know why this has happened to me, but God has come into my life through this tortilla.”

TONYA: Here is Father Tony’s take on this: In today’s Gospel, Jesus gave us the assurance that He would give us Himself as the Heavenly Bread, our spiritual food.

FR. DON: Some Catholics might find this story offensive for several reasons. First, it could be perceived as a form of idolatry, as Mrs. Rubio appears to be worshipping a physical object (the tortilla) rather than God or Jesus himself. The Catholic Church teaches that devotion should be directed towards God and the saints, not inanimate objects. Additionally, the implication that Jesus has manifested himself on a tortilla could be seen as disrespectful or trivializing to the divine nature of Christ. Catholics believe in the sacredness of the Eucharist, where the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ during Mass. Associating a seemingly random appearance of Jesus on a tortilla with this sacred act could be considered inappropriate.

TONYA: Catholics might find the story questionable due to the dubious nature of the alleged apparition. The Church carefully investigates and verifies claims of divine appearances.

FR. DON: In this case, it seems that the apparition was primarily accepted based on Mrs. Rubio’s personal conviction rather than any official recognition from the Church.