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Catholic Daily Mass Reading, 7th August 2023 + Reflection | The Sons Of Israel Complained In The Desert | The Feeding Of The Five Thousand

Catholic Daily Mass Reading, 7th August 2023 + Reflection | The Sons Of Israel Complained In The Desert | The Feeding Of The Five Thousand

Catholic Daily Mass Reading

First reading Numbers 11:4-15

The sons of Israel complain in the desert

The sons of Israel began to wail, ‘Who will give us meat to eat?’ they said. ‘Think of the fish we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic! Here we are wasting away, stripped of everything; there is nothing but manna for us to look at!’
  The manna was like coriander seed, and had the appearance of bdellium. The people went round gathering it, and ground it in a mill or crushed it with a pestle; it was then cooked in a pot and made into pancakes. It tasted like cake made with oil. When the dew fell on the camp at night-time, the manna fell with it.
  Moses heard the people wailing, every family at the door of its tent. The anger of the Lord flared out, and Moses greatly worried over this. And he spoke to the Lord:
  ‘Why do you treat your servant so badly? Why have I not found favour with you, so that you load on me the weight of all this nation? Was it I who conceived all this people, was it I who gave them birth, that you should say to me, “Carry them in your bosom, like a nurse with a baby at the breast, to the land that I swore to give their fathers”? Where am I to find meat to give to all this people, when they come worrying me so tearfully and say, “Give us meat to eat”? I am not able to carry this nation by myself alone; the weight is too much for me. If this is how you want to deal with me, I would rather you killed me! If only I had found favour in your eyes, and not lived to see such misery as this!’

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 80(81):12-17
Ring out your joy to God our strength.
My people did not heed my voice
  and Israel would not obey,
so I left them in their stubbornness of heart
  to follow their own designs.
Ring out your joy to God our strength.
O that my people would heed me,
  that Israel would walk in my ways!
At once I would subdue their foes,
  turn my hand against their enemies.
Ring out your joy to God our strength.
The Lord’s enemies would cringe at their feet
  and their subjection would last for ever.
But Israel I would feed with finest wheat
  and fill them with honey from the rock.
Ring out your joy to God our strength.

Gospel Acclamation Jn14:6
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord;
No one can come to the Father except through me.
Alleluia!
Or: Mt4:4
Alleluia, alleluia!
Man does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Alleluia!

Gospel
Matthew 14:13-21

The feeding of the five thousand

When Jesus received the news of John the Baptist’s death he withdrew by boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves. But the people heard of this and, leaving the towns, went after him on foot. So as he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them and healed their sick.
  When evening came, the disciples went to him and said, ‘This is a lonely place, and the time has slipped by; so send the people away, and they can go to the villages to buy themselves some food.’ Jesus replied, ‘There is no need for them to go: give them something to eat yourselves.’ But they answered ‘All we have with us is five loaves and two fish.’ ‘Bring them here to me’ he said. He gave orders that the people were to sit down on the grass; then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing. And breaking the loaves handed them to his disciples who gave them to the crowds. They all ate as much as they wanted, and they collected the scraps remaining; twelve baskets full. Those who ate numbered about five thousand men, to say nothing of women and children.

Reflection

We often say, ‘God knows!’ Yes indeed, God has the answer. He gives the answer to a significant question that Moses asked: “Where am I to get meat to give to all these people?” (Num. 11:13). He also gives an answer in the Gospel: “Bring them here to me,” (Matt 14:18) which can be interpreted in two ways: First, “Bring the people here and I will feed them”; second, “Bring the little that you have and I will bless and multiply it for everyone.” Another way to interpret Jesus’ answer, “Bring them here to me,” is: “Bring your cares, your worries and anxieties to me, and I will lighten them.” Our God surely supplies all our needs and satisfies our longings according to his riches and glory.

 

Personal Devotional

Declare me innocent, O Lord, because I do what is right and trust you completely. Examine me and test me, Lord; Judge my desires and thoughts. Your constant love is my guide; your faithfulness always leads me. Ps. 26 1-3.

-What makes you cry, what makes you weep, tell it all to the Lord.

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-Your light will not be dimmed and your destiny cannot be stopped. Pray

-Your torment and humiliation will turn to joy and celebration. Ask the Lord who is able to change your affliction to celebration.

-The world wants to put you to shame by their secret plans. Cancel and reject every hidden plan of the evil ones against you.

-The Holy Spirit is the spirit of revelation. Ask the Holy Spirit to restore you in all that you do.

Let Us Pray
O Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul, I adore you. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, and console me. Tell me what I should do; give me your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that you desire of me and to accept all that you permit to happen to me. Let me only know your will for me. Amen.

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