The Bread of Life Jesus said to the crowd that was following Him: “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” They asked, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” Jesus answered: “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one He sent.” (John 6:27-29) When the crowd asked Jesus what they must do to perform the work…
5 Loaves and 2 Fish Why was the miracle of the Feeding of the 5000 so significant that it was mentioned in all 4 Gospels? Some people say that it was the miracle was a sign that Jesus is the Messiah; others say that it showed the great compassion of Jesus; still others say that it was the greatest public demonstration of Jesus’ power and authority. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “the miracles of the multiplication of…
Divine Consolation The Gospels tell us that when Jesus saw the vast crowd, His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:36, Mark 6:34) If we look back at the Old Testament, there were three prophets who prophesied in regards to how the leaders neglected the people, and how God Himself will shepherd the people. Jeremiah prophesied to the leaders of Judah: “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the…
Attention parents: On July 18 and 25, there will be a Student’s Summer Workshop from 11:30am to 12:30am. The goal of the workshop is to improve both English Reading Comprehension and Math Skills for students from Grades 1-8. These 1-hour workshops will help prepare your children for the coming school-year. Please register with Mrs. Long Che Chan.
The Little Way The Gospel of Mark 6:7-13 brings attention to how Jesus instructed the twelve disciples to prepare for their mission of preaching repentance and the Kingdom of God: Jesus instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts (Mark 6:8). This implies that for this mission, they should not even bring any provision for their material needs. But who would provide for them? Jesus tells them: “Wherever…
The Faith of Martyrs What is faith? According to the Letter to the Hebrews, faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (RSV Hebrews 11:1) Faith assures us of things that we hope for – not necessarily that what we ask for will be granted in the way we expect it, but that it will be granted in the way that God deems best for us. Faith is the unwavering conviction of the things…
The Mystery of Suffering Death and illness are two things that many people find difficulty dealing with. When illness lingers on and on with no cure in sight, or when the death of a loved one seems imminent, people can be forced to take desperate measures. In today’s Gospel, a synagogue official pleaded with Jesus for his dying daughter. This scene is unusual because most religious leaders in the Gospel opposed Jesus and didn’t want anything to do with Him.…
The Awesome Power of God In the Book of Job, we find a man who has endured an enormous amount of suffering. Having lost all his children and all his property in freak accidents, he is taunted by his own wife and friends. Through it all, Job maintained his innocence; he considered himself just, rather than God. But the Lord God tells Job: “Where were you when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its…
Parables of Growth Parable of the Trees in Ezekiel 17:22-24: the cedar tree represents Israel, while the other trees represent the other nations in the world. Babylon was at the height of its power, but the Lord will rebuild the Davidic dynasty so the nations will realize that only God has control over a nation’s destiny. “Every tree of the field will know that I am the LORD. I bring low the high tree, lift high the lowly tree, wither…
The Eucharist: The Body and Blood of Christ When we hear the words “Body and Blood of Christ,” the Eucharist quickly comes to mind. However, the words “Body of Christ” have another meaning: St. Paul often referred to the “Body of Christ” as the Church (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:12-31; Colossians 1:18; 2:18-20; Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:12), which is the mystical Body of Christ made visible in the world (CCC 771). Jesus calls us into His Body! The connection between the two…