Gospel Reading from Mass: August 16, 2009

John 6:51-58 -- 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." 52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 53Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever."

Observation:

• What did Jesus say about himself?
• Why were the Jews confused?
• What did Jesus say about himself?
• Who sent Jesus to the world?
• What kind of bread was Jesus talking about?

Application:

• What did Jesus mean when he said that he would give his flesh for the life of the world?
• What does the term “the last day” mean to you?
• What kind of life is Jesus talking about in verse 53?
• How can a person eat and drink Jesus? What did he mean when he said this?

Gospel Reading from Mass: August 9, 2009

John 6:41-51 -- 41At this, the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, `I came down from heaven'?" 43"Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. 44"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets: `They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

Observation:

• Why were the Jews grumbling against Jesus?
• What did Jesus say in response to their grumbling?
• What did Jesus say about himself?
• Who has seen the Father?
• What is the bread of life?

Application:

• Why did the crowds respond negatively to Jesus?
• What kind of everlasting life is Jesus talking about?
• What did Jesus mean when he said “I am the bread of life?”
• How can you eat the bread of life? Why will it give you eternal life?
• What did Jesus mean when he said he would give his life for the world?
• In your opinion, do you think it is possible to have eternal life?

Gospel Reading from Mass: August 2, 2009

John 6:24-35 -- 24Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. 25When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" 26Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." 28Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" 29Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." 30So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: `He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' " 32Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34"Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread." 35Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

Observation:

• Where did the crowd find Jesus? Why were the people looking for Jesus?
• What did Jesus tell the people they should work for?
• What question did the people ask Jesus? How did the people respond?
• What did Jesus tell the people about bread?

Application:

• Why were the people following Jesus?
• Why should people follow Jesus today?
• Are you searching for Jesus? Why are you seeking him?
• According to Jesus, why should a person seek for him?
• What did Jesus mean when he said he was “The bread of life?”
• What kind of hunger and thirst is Jesus talking about?

Gospel Reading from Mass: July 26, 2009

John 6:1-15 – 1Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. 3Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4The Jewish Passover Feast was near. 5When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" 6He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" 8Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, 9"Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" 10Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. 11Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." 13So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. 14After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." 15Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.


Observation:

• Where did Jesus go and who followed him?
• Why were the people following Jesus?
• Why did Jesus ask the disciples how to feed the people?
• What did the people think about Jesus?
• Why did Jesus withdraw to the mountain by himself?


Application:

• Why was Jesus concerned about the peoples hunger?
• Why do you think there was more food after the meal than before it started?
• Why did Jesus gather the leftovers? Why was he concerned that no food be wasted?
• Why did the people want to force Jesus to be king?
• What do you find significant to you in this story?

Gospel Reading from Mass: July 19, 2009

Mark 6:30-34 – 30The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” 32So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

Observation:

• What did the apostles do?
• Where did Jesus take the twelve?
• What happened when people saw Jesus and the disciples leaving?
• What happened when Jesus saw the large crowd?

Application:

• Why did Jesus want the twelve to rest after their work?
• Why do you think God is concerned about our rest?
• Why do you think Jesus had compassion on the people?
• What characteristics does a good shepherd have?
• What does it mean to be without a shepherd?
• Do you need a shepherd?

Gospel Reading from Mass: July 12, 2009

Mark 6:7-13 – 7Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits. 8These were his instructions: "Take nothing for the journey except a staff--no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. 10Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them." 12They went out and preached that people should repent. 13They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

Observation:

• What did Jesus instruct his twelve disciples to do?
• What did he tell the disciples to do if they were not welcomed?
• What did the disciples preach to the people?
• What else did they do to the people?

Application:

• Why do you think Jesus sent the disciples out in pairs?
• Why do you think Jesus gave the disciples directions about what to wear and what to bring along with them?
• Why do you think Jesus gave the disciples directions about what to do in place where they are not welcomed?
• What does it mean to repent? Why were the disciples preaching?
• What happened in the places where the disciples preached?

Gospel Reading from Mass: July 5, 2009

Mark 6:1-6 – 1Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. "Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! 3Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. 4Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor." 5He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.

Observation:

• Where did Jesus travel to?
• On what day was he teaching?
• Why were the people amazed?
• Why were people offended at Jesus’ teaching?
• What was Jesus amazed about?

Application:

• What did people say about Jesus?
• Where do you think Jesus’ wisdom came from?
• What kind of response did Jesus receive in Nazareth? Why?
• Why do you think familiarity with Jesus prohibited the people of his hometown from seeing Jesus for who he really was?
• Why do you think the peoples’ lack of faith seemed to have an effect on what Jesus could do there?
• Do you think that your faith or lack of faith in Christ affects his ability to work in your own life?