Click INDEX TAB
in right corner of browser to view page contents.

COMMENTARY

BIBLE STUDY

HOLY SEE

HOMILIES

ON THIS PAGE

Bulletin Insert
Agape Bible Study
Word-Sunday
Guided Scripture Study

MATT ZEMANEKFR. GEOFFREY PLANTFR. BRYAN KUJAWAFR. PAUL GALETTOJOHN V. SRSENKEITH NESTER

SOURCE: St. Timothy Catholic Church, Laguna Niguel, CA

Jesus performs a miraculous multiplication of loaves and fish, demonstrating God’s abundance and the importance of offering our small offerings to the Lord with great love and faith.

Trust in God’s abundance, offer everything to him, and have faith in his power to multiply and do great things with it.

Jesus transforms the small offering of five loaves and two fish into more than enough, highlighting the idea of presenting our small offerings to the Lord with great love and faith.

God’s provision is daily, symbolized by bread in the Gospel of John and connected to Elisha’s miracle, and the fish and loaves story is linked to the code word “ichus” for Jesus.

The Eucharist symbolizes Jesus’ provision and abundance, foreshadows and restores our soul, and creates something new out of the corrupted structures of the past.

Jesus withdrew from being made king, fulfilled his purpose, and transformed a poor meal into more than enough, reminding us to discern our true purpose in life.

Previous Videos – Matt Zemanek

1

/

73

Easter Sunday, The Resurrection of the Lord - Cycle A

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion - Cycle A

The Fifth Sunday of Lent - Cycle A

The Fourth Sunday of Lent - Cycle A

1

/

73

SOURCE: Fr. Geoffrey Plant’s Archives

The miracle showcases Jesus’ compassion for the people and his divine power to multiply resources to meet their needs.

By placing our lives in Jesus’ hands, we can experience blessings beyond our expectations, as demonstrated by the abundance of food created from the meager supply of loaves and fish.

The signs in John’s gospel point to Jesus as the ultimate destination and source of spiritual nourishment, like a menu showcasing what can be ordered at a restaurant.

Jesus’ identity as the “bread of life” goes beyond the physical realm, despite the people’s initial desire to make him king based on the material benefits of his miracles.

Previous Videos – Fr. Geoffrey Plant

1

/

34

He was raised. Homily for Easter Sunday, Year A.

The Lamb of God. Homily for Good Friday.

In remembrance of me. Homily for Holy Thursday.

Hosanna to the son of David. Homily for Passion (Palm) Sunday.

1

/

34

SOURCE: Fr. Bryan Kujawa’s Archives Switch videos using icon in the upper right corner.

Confidence in the Lord’s Blessings: We should find confidence in the Lord’s care and protection and use the transient blessings of life in a manner that enables us to hold onto the eternal gifts that come from God.

Focus on Eternal Things: Rather than being attached to the temporary world, we should hold fast to the eternal things that come from God, as demonstrated by the prophet Elisha’s miracle of feeding 100 people with 20 barley loaves.

Importance of Prophets Elisha and Elijah: Elisha and Elijah were significant prophets in the Old Testament. Elisha received a double portion of Elijah’s spirit, which allowed him to perform even greater miracles than his predecessor.

Proper Worship: The division of the Kingdom of Israel serves as a reminder of the importance of proper worship to God.

Miraculous Feeding: The stories of Elisha feeding 100 men with 20 barley loaves and Jesus feeding the 5,000 illustrate God’s ability to provide abundantly and satisfy the needs of all living creatures.

Previous Videos – Fr. Bryan Kujawa

1

/

173

Easter Sunday: 2nd Readings (Both Options): Catholic Bible Study

Easter Sunday: Gospel and Sequence: Catholic Bible Study

Easter Sunday: 1st Reading and Psalm: Catholic Bible Study

Catholic Massterclass #56: Prayer, Blessing, and Dismissal

1

/

173

SOURCE: Catholic Sunday Scriptures in Context

The Gospel of John reinforces the significance of generosity through the feeding of the 5,000 and the miracle of the loaves and fish, emphasizing the value of giving over receiving.

The story of Elisia and the man donating barley loaves during a famine illustrates the power of giving and trusting in God’s abundance.

The letter to the Ephesians underscores the unity of all believers in the Christian faith, challenging the notion that only a select few can access its teachings.

Previous Videos – Fr. Paul Galetto

1

/

57

Sixth Sunday of Easter A

Fifth Sunday of Easter A

Fourth Sunday of Easter A

Third Sunday Easter A

1

/

57

SOURCE: St. Vitus Parish in Cleveland

Jesus’ love and presence are vital in sustaining people during both good times and bad, as demonstrated by the feeding of the 5,000.

The story of the multiplication of loaves and fish represents spiritual nourishment provided by Jesus as the “bread of life.”

Emphasizing the deeper meaning behind the event is crucial, rather than concentrating on whether the miracle literally took place.

Previous Videos – John V. Srsen

1

/

151

The Miracle of Jesus

2nd Sunday of Easter Reflection - Year A

Easter Sunday Reflection - Year A

Palm Sunday Reflection - Year A

1

/

151

SOURCE: YouTube Video Playlist

In this episode, Keith Nester explores the following: How to cultivate an appetite for God Living up to our calling How Jesus can feed you

Previous Videos – John V. Srsen

1

/

75

Easter Sunday Year A

Palm Sunday Year A

5th Sunday in Lent Year A

4th Sunday in Lent Year A

1

/

75

Bulletin
Inserts

by Edrianne Ezel

Download PDF

Agape
Bible Study

Michal Hunt

CALENDAR

The Hand of the Lord
Feeds Us

17th Sunday of Year B

FIRST READING

󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 Elisha's Multiplication of the Loaves

In the First Reading, the feeding miracle of the prophet Elisha prefigures the miraculous feedings in the Gospels. Jesus will repeat Elisha's miracle feeding of the multiplication of barley loaves in our Gospel Reading. Both feeding miracles recall the miraculous manna God fed the children of Israel while traveling through the wilderness on their journey to the Promised Land (Ex 16:31-36).

Notice the many parallels between Jesus's feeding miracle in Matthew 14:13-21 compared to Elisha's feeding miracle in 2 Kings 4:42-44:

Elisha's Feeding Miracle	Jesus's Feeding Miracle
Only a small amount of food was available (twenty loaves of barley bread) in Elisha's feeding miracle.	Only a small amount of food was available (five loaves of barley bread and two fish) in Jesus's feeding miracle.
Elisha's servant protested that there was not enough food to feed so many men.	Jesus's disciples protested that there was not enough food to feed so many men.
The small amount of food became enough to feed a hundred men.	The small amount of food became enough to feed five thousand men, not counting women and children.
There was food left over.	Twelve large baskets of food were left over.
Michal E. Hunt Copyright © 2015

SECOND READING

󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 The Lord Answers Our Needs

In the Second Reading, St. Paul exhorts the faithful Christians of Ephesus to persevere in the unity of faith within their congregation. In today's passage, St. Paul expresses one of the most profound statements summarizing our Christian faith in the New Testament. Paul's message focuses on the theological basis of our unity—the Most Holy Trinity. The Divine Presence of the Most Holy Trinity is at work in the Church and keeps the New Covenant family together in "seven unities": one Body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father.

The Trinity is at work in the Church and keeps the Bride of Christ together in the "seven unities" of the Church: one Body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father:

"One Body": The unified Body of Christ is the universal Church founded by Jesus, under the authority He gave St. Peter, the Apostles, and their successors.
"One Spirit": There is only one Holy Spirit who brings about and maintains the unity of Christ's mystical Body, the Church, through which we were divinely called to have a share in the life of the resurrected Christ.
"One hope": Jesus Christ is the only hope of our salvation, as St. Peter declared, "There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved" (Acts 4:12).
"One Lord": That we have one Lord is a profession of our belief in God the Son who, as our Lord and Savior, has sovereignty over His Kingdom of the Church and is the head of its mystical Body.
"One faith": There is only one faith that Jesus taught and which His Apostles and their successors, as shepherds of His Church, have expressed in clear statements of doctrine and dogma. Pope Pius XII wrote: "There can be only one faith; and so, if a person refuses to listen to the Church, he should be considered, so the Lord commands, as a heathen and a publican (cf. Mt 18:17)" (Mystici Corporis, 10).
"One baptism": There can only be one spiritual rebirth into the family of God through the Sacrament of Baptism to become a member of the Body of Christ. It is not an "initiation"; instead, it is a life transformation. Baptism is how, after making a profession of faith, one joins the other members of the Church as equals. Since there is only "one Lord, one faith, and one baptism," the Council of Vatican II states: "... there is a common dignity of members deriving from their rebirth in Christ, a common grace as sons, a common vocation to perfection, one salvation, one hope, and undivided charity" (Vatican II, Lumen Gentium, 32).
"One God and Father of all, who is over all through all and in all": This statement affirms God's sovereignty and dominion over all the created order and the unity of humanity with God, the supreme Creator.

GOSPEL

󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 The Miracle Feeding of the More than Five Thousand

In the Gospel Reading, Jesus, like the 9^th-century BC prophet Elisha, does not have enough bread to feed a multitude. However, He organizes and presides over the meal, as He does at our Eucharistic celebration when we break bread together as a family. Like the miracle feeding of the manna in the wilderness, Jesus is the new Moses who provides what the faithful covenant children need. In the sacred meal of the Eucharist, it is as we repeat together in the psalm reading: "The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs."

We demonstrate our unity as One Body in Christ when we celebrate the "Thanksgiving" sacred meal of the Eucharist (Eucharistia means "thanksgiving" in Greek). "Christians come together in one place for the Eucharistic assembly. At its head is Christ himself, the principal agent of the Eucharist. He is high priest of the New Covenant; it is he himself who presides invisibly over every Eucharistic celebration..." (CCC 1348). Our prayer in the miraculous feeding of the Eucharist is: "May all of us who share in the body and blood of Christ be brought together in unity by the Holy Spirit" (Eucharistic Prayer III).

25 Years on the Web
1999-2024

Lectionary
Resource For
Catholics

CYCLE B INDEX

SOURCE: Cycle B Index

First
Reading:

󠁼󠁼󠁼󠁼󠁼󠁼󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 Sharing a Little to Feed Many

In our culture of material excess, how many times have we run out of time or money or energy? Wouldn’t it be amazing to experience abundance from our meager efforts? Is this not what God promises us?

Second
Reading:

󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 One With God, One With Others

Reflect on your efforts to build up others. How effective have you been? How have your efforts built up your spiritual life?

Gospel
Reading:

󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 The Gift of God

What do you most appreciate in your life? How hard did you work for those items or qualities? Do you deserve those items or qualities?

How can we truly appreciate God’s gifts to us? And, how do we resist the temptation to demand more from God and turn faith into an exercise of selfish greed?

Guided
Scripture
Study

Vince Contreras

YEAR B

Study Guide

They saw the signs
which Jesus did

Who was “the Prophet” that the people thought Jesus might be (verse 14; Deuteronomy 18:15-19)? Who else did they identify with this figure (John 1:21)? Which one of them was it?
The miracle in today’s gospel is the fourth of seven “signs” recorded in John’s gospel. Of what were the signs an indicator or proof (CCC 547-49)? What are the most obvious signs of God’s presence in the world for you?
Why are the crowds following Jesus at this point (verse 2)? What makes a disciple genuine (Mark 8:34-38)? Do you only petition Jesus for material things? Have you ever asked him to change your heart or to help you fulfill his will in your life?
Why do you think the signs of the Eucharist are bread and wine (Matthew 26:23-26; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 2:1-11, 6:1-15)? Do you try to find an explanation for supernatural things? Do you feel you have to have scientific proof in order to believe that Jesus is truly present in the
In the 2nd reading, St. Paul speaks eloquently about Christian unity and love among the brethren. How is the Eucharist the ultimate sign and reality of unity as Christ intended it?

CLOSING PRAYER: There He is: King of kings and Lord of lords, hidden in the bread. To this extreme He humbled Himself for love
of you. –St. Josemaria Escriva

DOWNLOAD PDF

SOURCE: SundayScriptureStudy.com / used with permission

The Word This Week

BIBLE STUDY – 17th Sunday of Year B

2024

17th Sunday of Year B

📎 BULLETIN INSERT

Bulletin
Inserts

󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 󠁼 󠁼

📚 BIBLE STUDY THEMES

Agape
Bible Study