The BreadCast

(1Jn.5:5-13; Ps.147:12-15,19-20; Lk.5:12-16) "Whoever possesses the Son possesses life." What does our psalmist mean when he sings: "He has granted peace in your borders; with the best of wheat He fills you," but that we are in Christ? What are those "borders" but the flesh of Christ? What is this wheat but the manna, the Sacrament of His Body He gives us to feed upon during our earthly journey? And this word which "runs swiftly," what is it but the Spirit which enlivens the Body of Christ, which brings the flesh of Christ to life? And why should we not "glorify the Lord," the God of life, who provides His Son and His Spirit, who makes the world and all that is in it, who calls us to believe, as the human beings we are, in the name of the Son, that we might find all three who testify to truth and "are of one accord"? It is through the Son we come to the Father by the power of the Holy Spirit. If we believe in God the Father, we believe "the testimony He has given on His own Son's behalf," and we find the eternal life that is thus ours through the Son. May the Spirit run quickly to us and teach us and guide us along the way of God. In our gospel Jesus heals a leper. He reaches out His hand "to touch him" and so draws him into Himself, into the borders of His holy flesh, and he is made whole. He wills it so, that the bars of all our gates be strengthened, that all enter into Him – that we be healed, whole in Him, and that our children, the fruit of our own bodies be blessed by their truly being begotten therefore of Him. If we are in Him, so will our children be, so will all the works we perform. But we must come as the leper, "bowed down to the ground." We, too, must see Jesus and be moved to humble ourselves before His loving glory. In faith we, too, must desire His touch upon our flesh, to be released from all sin, to be made whole again. And we must do as He instructs us through the power of the Spirit; then we shall find life with the Father in heaven. If it is remarkable that the Son of God would draw the leprous man into His sacred flesh and make him His own, it is perhaps more remarkable that He would do the same for us poor sinners – that being possessed by Him, we possess Him, and so we enter life by the flesh of Christ. ******* O LORD, let all men know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and eternal life to all who believe in Him. YHWH, by a word from your mouth and the touch of your hand, we are healed of all our ills; your Son has come to save us. He is all we need to find eternal life – let Him live within us. You testify, O LORD, by the word of the Spirit that Jesus is your beloved Son and we should believe in Him. Your testimony let us embrace in faith that the life you desire for us we may know. Your Word of truth runs swiftly, LORD, and brings peace to our gates and borders. Our very flesh is anointed in your Son – in Him your Spirit is upon us. And we are blessed as your children; we are made whole in your sight. Let your Word run to all the world, that all might know of the glory you bring us in Jesus your only Son, in the water upon Him and in His sacrificial blood. In faith let all bow down before Him, seeking a word from His mouth and the touch of His hand.

(1Jn.4:19-5:4; Ps.72:1-2,11,14-15,17; Lk.4:14-22) "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." Today the Son has come into our midst. Today He has "unrolled the scroll" of the Word of God and read aloud the words written of Him for all to hear. Today the WORD is brought to life. As "appealing" as is the discourse which flows forth from His gracious lips, so much greater is the Spirit that is upon Him. For by that Spirit and in His sacred flesh He shall "bring glad tidings to the poor… proclaim liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and release to prisoners." In word and deed He "announce[s] a year of favor from the Lord." In Him all time comes together. In Him it is all one moment. And this moment reveals the love of God. And by the Son we are begotten, by His love: "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been begotten of God." And so, children we become with the one Child most blessed. And if we are all one child born of the love of God and His Word, what can we do but love one another? Does one not love his own flesh and bone? And so, "whoever loves God must also love his brother," for his brother is of him as he is of God and both are His children in love, born of the flesh of the one Christ. "In Him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed." It is not for the few He has come, but for all. For God is the Father of all and the Son possesses and reveals all that is of the Father. "All nations shall proclaim His happiness," for all peoples shall find their happiness in Him alone, who is love and which love is itself our happiness and our hope. Speak to us, Lord Jesus. Work through us, dear God. Let your Commandment of love be fulfilled in us. Let our love be fixed on God and let us love our brother. May we hear the words you speak in our midst today. May your Spirit make us children of the Father. ******* O LORD, Jesus is the Christ; your Spirit is upon Him and He has come to save us – let us declare His praise. YHWH, your Word is fulfilled in Jesus and in the Spirit upon Him. Glad tidings the poor hear from His blessed lips, and we who are blind may now see your glorious presence in our midst. From our prisons let us be released, that we might love as Jesus loves. If we remain in your Son, we will be able to keep your commands and so be blessed forever. You will give us power to conquer the world, to conquer the world even as He has done. O LORD, in Him may our lives be governed with justice, that our mouths might bless you all our days. O LORD, if we keep our eyes and ears and hearts fixed on Jesus, we will know your love and be able to share in that love. Truly we will love you and our brother, and every blessing will be ours by the grace upon your Son. Your Name be praised by the tongues of men for all the goodness He brings us

O redeemer of captive slaves, those enslaved to sin and those enslaved by the clutches of the world – preach to us this day the freedom found under the Cross of Christ and in the repentance of heart blessed by the grace upon the Church. Teach us well the path to Heaven, which is wrought not in comfort and peace but in struggle against sin, in the laying down of our lives before our persecutors. Ransom us from wayward thoughts and actions, and from the snares of the adversary who waits for our misstep. In Christ alone may we find our rest.

(1Jn.4:11-18; Ps.72:1-2,10,12-13; Mk.6:45-52) "If we love one another, God dwells in us, and His love is brought to perfection in us." Jesus has just fed the five thousand men with the five loaves and two fish. He has performed a great miracle before the eyes of His disciples and through their hands. Yet "their minds were completely closed to the meaning of the events," and when He comes walking toward them on the water in the middle of the night as their boat is tossed about by a storm, they are "terrified." They are afraid because they are not yet perfect. John tells us in his first letter, a letter of love: "Love is not yet perfect in one who is afraid" and "perfect love casts out all fear." The disciples will not be perfect, will remain afraid, until after the death and resurrection of the Lord, and, really, until Pentecost, when the Spirit falls upon them. As John states, "The way we know we remain in Him and He in us is that He has given us of His Spirit." His Spirit is the Spirit of love and He, our Lord Jesus, is Himself love. John follows both the clauses, "If we love one another" and "When anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God," with the statement that God dwells in us. Jesus and love are equated as the Spirit and love are equated above. Why? Because "God is love" and both Jesus and the Spirit are God, and so are love. Brothers and sisters, our love must be brought to perfection, and it is "brought to perfection in this: that we should have confidence on the day of judgment" – that we should have no fear of the punishment we deserve, that we know fully of His love. Jesus takes a step to preparing the disciples against the judgment, against fear and for love, by walking toward them on the water. He means to teach them that they should not be afraid of the wind and the waves which rock our boat in this world, nor should they be afraid of His miraculous, overwhelmingly loving presence. Let us learn what Jesus would teach the disciples: "Do not be afraid!" "For He shall rescue the poor man when he cries out." He is love and He will save us. Let our minds open to His presence as we love one another, and let that love be brought to absolute perfection in us. May His Spirit be with you. ******* O LORD, your Son has come among us as a Man – how can we recognize His glory in our midst; how can we love as He has loved? YHWH, why should we be afraid of your love, of your glory among us? Why would we rather remain in darkness than come into your light? Why can we not believe that your Son has walked among us and that He invites us to become one with you? How can our hearts bear such blessing? O LORD, cast all the fear from us; let us not shrink from your presence, from your overwhelming love, but welcome it in our hearts with gratitude and a return of love to you and others. Let it be our desire to be saved and so glorify Jesus' coming into our midst. Let Him enter our boat this day, and with Him let us remain. Dwell within us, O LORD God. Dwell within us and rule over us with your justice and love. Hear us as we cry out to you; have pity on our afflicted souls. Speak to us: "Do not be afraid!" and open our eyes to your eternal protection.

O friend of the lowly, humble child of St. Joseph, servant of the poor and counsel to the afflicted through whom the Lord worked miracles… how He blessed your ignorance with His wisdom, your weakness with His strength; unattached to this passing world, you drew souls to the world to come – pray we be as poor and lowly as the dust you swept each day, as the Child Jesus in the manger at Bethlehem. Pray we, too, have ears to hear and answer the needs of others and that good St. Joseph will hold us in his arms and carry us with you unto Heaven.

(1Jn.4:7-10, Ps.72:1-4,7-8,11; Mk.6:34-44) "Justice shall flower in His days, and profound peace, till the moon be no more." Our psalm (of Solomon, the king of peace and wisdom) relates the infinite justice of God, He who "defend[s] the afflicted among the people" and "save[s] the children of the poor." Such is the judgment of our God, who "rule[s] from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth": His perfect justice He showers upon all. And how is this justice effected? It is already evident from what we have said, from what our psalmist has sung of His Name, and our letter from John leaves no question – "God is love." His ultimate justice and love have been "revealed in our midst in this way: He sent His only Son to the world that we might have life through Him." In sending Jesus "as an offering for our sins," His perfect love and perfect justice meet and kiss and become one. He bleeds for us, and so our sins are forgiven. And what clearer proof that we all "have life through Him" is shown in our gospel, in which Jesus feeds the masses. First He teaches them with the Word "at great length." Having pity on them, He feeds their souls with Truth. But His pity does not end there – His concern extends to the physical as well as the spiritual… for He knows all our weakness, and He feeds the peoples' bodies as well as their souls. What a beautiful picture this is: the people "neatly arranged like flower beds," Jesus raising the bread to heaven and pronouncing the blessing, the disciples distributing it, and Jesus Himself dividing the fish among them. All eat and all are satisfied. Here is a picture of the Lord's justice and love. And this scene we enact each day at Mass, listening to His Word, His teaching, and then eating the bread of life He distributes among us. May the Lord be praised! And what have we to do to receive this bread of life but heed the words John offers and "love one another." For "love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten of God and has knowledge of God." And this knowledge we find in our love is that His justice is true and endures forever in the perfect peace His presence brings. Let us have faith forever. ******* O LORD, you sent your Son to shepherd all afflicted and fainting souls; may we be nourished by His love. YHWH, you send your Son to rule over us with His love, to feed us with His own Body and Blood. May justice flower in His day and all the ends of the earth be blessed with His peace. And let us love as He has loved; let us lay down our lives for one another. O LORD, upon your holy mountain let us take our rest, our souls arranged like flower beds, our hearts yielding to your Word. May your rule be made complete even in this deserted place where men are as sheep without a shepherd. To this place let your Son come and make it as your eternal home. Give us something to eat this day, LORD, by the hand of Jesus and His apostles, or we shall faint for weariness, or we shall starve to death. It is only your love which sustains us, LORD, only our being joined to you. May we eat our fill of your goodness, and never be apart from your reign.

O shepherd who walked in the humble stead of your flock, who worked so diligently among those in your care, speaking to their hearts; you who gathered into schools the little ones, who saw to the education of the children… and all this in a foreign land – pray for the country in which you ministered, that its lambs once again be raised in the faith and its strangers be once again shepherded by one as anxious as you for their well-being. Here let us find the grace of Christ to redeem the lowly and the lost.

(1Jn.3:22-4:6; Ps.2:7-8,10-11; Mt.4:12-17,23-25) "Every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh belongs to God." And for every spirit that acknowledges Him, He answers all prayers: "Whatever we ask we shall receive at God's hands." "Ask of me and I will give you the nations for an inheritance…" And so, when "they carried to [Jesus] all those afflicted with various diseases and racked with pain," He heard this prayer made in faith, made in the belief that He could do this, and as Matthew so simply and wonderfully states, "He cured them all." They had listened to His preaching: "Reform your lives! The kingdom of heaven is at hand." They accepted it, humbly, taking no offense at His words and His actions – but believing in Him. And so He could perform such wonders for them, He whose spirit is true; and so "on those who inhabit a land overshadowed by death light has arisen." And now we should "give heed" and "take warning"; now we should "put the spirits to the test to see if they belong to God." Now we must clearly acknowledge Jesus as the Christ and know what John tells us, "There is in you One greater than there is in the world," and follow that Spirit within us. Are we "keeping His commandments and doing what is pleasing in His sight"? Do we "remain in Him"? He is never far away and He will hear all of our prayers and cure us of all ills, if we but believe in Him, if we but heed His teaching – if we reform our lives. We show our belief in Him when we follow His commandments, and we follow His commandments when we reform our lives. Thus we prove that we speak His language; in our love we reveal His Spirit in us. "The Lord said to me, 'You are my son, this day I have begotten you.'" Even in our psalm are spoken the words of the Father to Jesus; and they are spoken to us, if we believe that He is the Christ. This is the salvation the Father offers; it is for us to accept it and live it. For a greater gift we cannot expect, more love He could not show – this is His Son, this is God… believe in Him. There is nothing else you need seek. ******* O LORD, all those who seek the truth come to your Son, and you make them your children. YHWH, we shall be healed of every ill; all darkness will be banished from our midst, if we turn from our sins, if we seek to reform our lives – if we believe in the Name of your Son, that He has come in the flesh and is our Savior. And then our every prayer shall be answered, for we shall be living in your love. It is not of the world we are to be, O LORD, not of the darkness of this place. For the world does not recognize that Jesus has come, nor has it ears to hear Him. But our ears are attuned to His voice and the truth He speaks to our heart. Let us not be deceived by those who would deny the truth, those who would speak against what is plainly before them. Let us hold fast to the teaching of your Son and His apostles, and we shall have power to overcome all such evil by His love. Give us all we ask of you, LORD; give us a world remade in your image.

O mother through marriage and religious Mother, who indeed became mother of many, many sisters whom you led in the faith and many children whom you taught in your schools – in your wisdom teach many still the path of Christ, the way of charity He has trod, that renewed will those be who call you Mother, and instructed well those in their classrooms throughout the land. What should we teach our children, dear Mother? Have we not forgotten the lesson of Christ? Pray for us, I beg, this day, that the way and the truth we shall follow.

(Is.60:1-6; Ps.72:1-2,7-8,10-13; Eph.3:2-3a,5-6; Mt.2:1-12) "They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary His Mother." And so our prophecy of Isaiah and our psalm of David come to pass: "Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you… the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you, the wealth of nations shall be brought to you." And "the kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts; the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute. All kings shall pay Him homage, all nations shall serve Him." And so we have the revelation made known to the Apostle Paul and all His holy ones: "The Gentiles are now coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel." Yes, the Light of Jerusalem has come, and it draws the ends of the earth by its radiance. Here is the star which rises in our midst; here is the true light which shines upon all men. And all men are drawn to it – none can deny its brightness before us, its truth and its glory. And who is this king but the One of "justice" and "profound peace"? Who is He but the One who "shall have pity for the lowly and the poor; the lives of the poor He shall save." And so all must make themselves poor before Him, laying their gifts at His blessed feet. Today we celebrate the coming of Light to the nations, the manifestation of Jesus Christ to this world covered in darkness. And we find our hope and our joy in Him as did the magi two thousand years ago. For He continues to reveal Himself to our hearts. He continues to show His peace and justice to all who look for His coming. Let our eyes be raised to the heavens and our hearts be diligent in seeking Him, and we will be led to His crib. There the Mother holds Him in her arms; there before such beauty we should empty our souls in adoration of His blessed presence, like these magi who "prostrated themselves and did Him homage." Then we shall rise fulfilled. Written, read & chanted by James Kurt; produced by Roger Fortney. Music by Roger Fortney; used by permission. ******* O LORD, lead us by your light to lay down our lives before you. YHWH, into this world of darkness you have sent a great light and now all nations desirous of truth, desirous of light, follow that light to find you, dear Father in Heaven. As the magi followed the star to find the Baby Jesus with Mary His Mother, so all poor souls follow your Son to find you who have created us all; for He is in you, and looking upon His innocent face we see you, our LORD and God, and the light is ours. There is no division in your House, O LORD; all souls are called into your presence. Your star you make obvious for all to see that none may be left by the wayside but all keep to the road that leads to life. Help us, O LORD, to empty ourselves of all that keeps us from gazing at your light, all that makes our eyes blind to your glory. May we with the magi prostrate ourselves before your Child, offering all we have to Him and so to you. He is the King that shall rule us all – let us embrace His coming.