The BreadCast

(Gn.23:1-4,19,24:1-8,62-67; Ps.106:1-5; Mt.9:9-13) "In his love for [Rebekah] Isaac found solace after the death of his mother Sarah." And of this love Jacob shall be born; and from him shall come the twelve tribes of Israel, who shall people the earth as the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham. Sarah had died and "Abraham had now reached a ripe old age." Now conscious of his mortality, Abraham sets his sights firmly on his son and his coming progeny. Now with great resolve he sets to seek a wife for Isaac, telling his servant as he sends him to his people: the Lord "will send His messenger before you, and you will obtain a wife for my son there." And Abraham's faith in God's promise is rewarded, as the servant is led directly to Rebekah. And how inspired is the meeting of Isaac and Rebekah. We are told they are both looking about for one another, and seem to recognize each other immediately, even from a great distance. Indeed, they are brought together by God to fulfill His promise to Abraham. Notice in our gospel that Jesus seems to be looking around as well: "As Jesus moved about, He saw a man named Matthew at his post where taxes are collected." Like Abraham, Jesus, too, is concerned for His progeny, for those who will follow Him – those who will bring His promise of salvation forth when He has returned to the Father. And He chooses Matthew as an apostle to follow Him. And notice Matthew's response to Jesus' call: "Matthew got up and followed Him." It seems here, too, the love is mutual, that Matthew, too, has been looking about for the Lord, and that the two are drawn together by the Father to ensure the fulfillment of the covenant with His Son. And Jesus, who has just come from public forgiveness of sin, seems not so much to be speaking to the Pharisees' complaining of His eating with sinners, as to Matthew, whom He's calling to carry out His mission of teaching and healing, when He says: "I have come to call, not the self-righteous, but sinners." The word goes forth. The promise is sure. It comes to us even this day. The Lord provides for its care and will see it through to its fulfillment. In each one of us His salvation is at work even now. Brothers and sisters, mourn not so much for the sin which troubles your heart as you accept the Lord's solace and rejoice in His mercy. With the psalmist, say to the Lord: "Visit me with your saving help, that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones." Amen. ******* O LORD, call our sinful souls into your loving arms, that in death we may be comforted. YHWH, how good you are to your inheritance; how you favor your people with your blessing. How you watch over us and lead us to the accomplishment of your will, to finding prosperity in your presence. We are but weak and sinful men, and yet you call us to sit at table with your Son in the kingdom, yet you call us to be your disciples and carry your Word forth. O let your mercy indeed go forth to the ends of the earth! Help us, O LORD, to observe what is right, to do always what is just in your sight. Help us ever to follow in your way and be obedient to your command. For what is your command to us but love itself; where does it lead but to your side? We are sick, desolate and alone, but you would heal us by your grace. And so you send your only Son to serve your will, to make us as your holy Bride.

(Gn.21:5,8-20; Ps.34:7-8,10-13; Mt.8:28-34) "When the afflicted man called out, the Lord heard, and from all his distress He saved him." Ishmael is the model of the afflicted man calling out to the Lord and being heard in all his distress. His very name means "he whom God hears" and indeed we see clearly today how, though "it is through Isaac that descendants shall bear [Abraham's] name," nonetheless, the Lord has pity on Ishmael and his plight – his rejection by the mother of the promised child and his wandering in a trackless waste – and declares that of him a "great nation" shall come. Indeed he is left to die by his mother, so desperate had their situation become; but upon the child's crying out, the Lord hears and sends His angel to assist them and assure them of the boy's future greatness. Ishmael is a son of Abraham; though born of a slave woman, yet "he too is [Abraham's] offspring," and so for this the Lord takes special care to watch over him. For God has chosen Abraham to be the father of many nations and does not wish to see His blessed patriarch distressed. We have already seen how God has heard the prayer of Abraham for Lot; now we see the same regarding Abraham's concern for Ishmael. We must, brothers and sisters, understand whence our own blessing comes. We are spiritual sons of Abraham, of Moses, of David… but most particularly we are children of Jesus and His apostles, the Church. A far greater intercessor have we in the Son of God Himself, so let us not be afraid to cry out to Him in our need. For if God heard the prayers of Abraham, how much more will He hear the prayers of His Son? And if God watched over the kin and offspring of the blessed patriarch, how much more concern does He have for the children of light born of the blood of Jesus Christ? Our confidence must be sure in Him, for He cannot help but hear our prayer. Indeed, our gospel tells us that when "the demons kept appealing to Him," even them He heard and granted their plea. If the Lord hears such as these, how can we even begin to doubt His presence to us? Now let us not be afraid to come to Him. Let us not be like the inhabitants of that Gadarene territory who found the Lord too much to bear and "begged Him to leave their neighborhood." Let us not think in our hearts coming to Him we will die, that His light is simply too bright. No. He calls us as children to take refuge in Him. It is His desire to bless our days. Turn not away from Him, for as David sings for us, "Those who seek the Lord want for no good thing"; He hears and answers all our cries. ******* O LORD, you have power to bless and to save; you have pity on every poor man, and so, let us not be afraid to cry out to you. YHWH, you cannot help but answer our cries; your Son cannot turn his back on those in need, those who plead for His mercy. For you are love and mercy itself, and your compassion knows no bounds. And so, the son of the slave girl you bless, and even respond to the demons' request. And will you not hear us when we call to you, LORD? Should we doubt your concern for our well-being? Every afflicted soul you would save from distress, if he would but your mercy seek. For this grace let us praise you, LORD; let us not turn away from you in fear. For our sins you would wipe away, remembering them no more. Be with us now and let us grow in you. Let us remain with you forever, your blessing upon us all our days. O let us prosper in your love, in your holy presence.

(Gn.19:15-29; Ps.26:2-3,9-12; Mt.8:23-27) "Even the winds and the sea obey Him." "The Lord rained down sulphurous fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah," and "without warning a violent storm came up on the lake, and the boat began to be swamped by the waves." The Lord saved Lot from the destruction of Sodom, and Jesus calmed the winds and the sea, saving the disciples; but how little faith either showed in His power. Lot seems oblivious to the annihilation about to be wrought by God, hesitating to flee even at the urging of angels. Indeed, he is brought from that place only by force and "by the Lord's mercy," by all appearances deserving to be swept away with the others in their sin. Then upon being carried the greater part of the way, he is too tired to complete the salvation the Lord has begun. And as for the apostles, they quickly dissemble at the threat of the elements, forgetting entirely in whose hands all these forces rest. Indeed, where Lot fails in proper fear for his own protection, the disciples are filled too greatly with concern for their mortal lives. Neither has the holiness or faith necessary for eternal glory. "Gather not my soul with those of sinners," we should all cry out to the Lord, for indeed we all fall short of the glory of God; and if it were not for His mercy and protection, all would die in their sins. But He has the power to save us, and the kindness besides. Only let us not presume upon His mercy, nor fail to stand strong in His grace and faith. We have one greater than Abraham watching over us and interceding for us with God; let us no longer question His will for us or wonder who it is that controls the wind and the sea, the earth and the fire. Now we should know clearly that these obey Him, and that we must do the same. Brothers and sisters, can we say to the Lord with David: "Test my soul and try my heart"? Are we prepared to expose ourselves to His refining fire? Would we "walk in integrity" with this son of Jesse, crying out to the Lord, "Redeem me, and have pity on me." If we come to Him and lay our lives before Him, He will certainly enter in and preserve us from all distress. His voice shall resound about us and within us, calming the wind and the waves contending in our hearts. Remember that He has the power. Remember that He, only He, is alive. And by His grace He will save our lives. ******* O LORD, if we have faith, you will save us – however dark things may seem, your Word and your light are near. YHWH, how little faith we have. Even when your angel is with us, even with your Son in our boat, we doubt and fear. We cannot trust. We cannot be strong in the face of temptation, before the traps of the evil one. It is because we are concerned for our flesh that we fail to recognize the Spirit is all that matters, that we fail to realize you can do all things…. O help us to believe in you! Though we are weak and sinful, you reach out your hand to save us; you do all you can to bring us to safe haven, LORD. Yet there are those among us who, even while fleeing the destruction of this world, turn back to what is being abandoned and are destroyed. Why? Why are we so foolish? Why have we such attachments to what can only harm us? Why should we care for the things of this life? Your life awaits us, LORD. Let us come quickly to the kingdom, trusting in you.

(Gn.18:16-33; Ps.103:1-4,8-11; Mt.8:18-22) "While the two men walked on farther toward Sodom, the Lord remained standing before Abraham." "Then Abraham drew nearer to Him…" A marvelous scene. First, as Abraham walks along with the Lord, we hear the Lord's thoughts. The Lord wishes to share His plans with him, not to act apart from His blessed one. He tells Abraham of the imminent destruction of Sodom, knowing he will be concerned for his kinsman, Lot. The Lord then stops and stands still, granting Abraham opportunity to speak. In great humility, but with the strength provided by God, he petitions the Lord. And the Lord is pleased to hear him. He is pleased that Abraham recognizes the justice of God, and He is satisfied with his fear in approaching Him: "I am but dust and ashes!" exclaims Abraham, and comes to each question with trepidation, pausing in silence before each to hear in that silence the Lord calling him to ask further. The Lord hears and answers his prayer to spare Lot. Evident in this scene is the psalmist's words: "Merciful and gracious is the Lord." How patient and kind and forbearing. How He desires that we draw near to Him and share in His will. And how forgiving is He: "He pardons all your iniquities… He redeems your life from destruction." For Lot He shall spare from that evil land; indeed, to all who repent He shows His favor. His promise is sure. But we must come to Him in the humility of Abraham. We must not approach Him as does the scribe in our gospel, proclaiming so boldly and so foolishly his willingness to follow Jesus, yet knowing nothing of the glory of God and what following Him entails. Nor must we come so shakily as the disciple who makes excuses. Upon hearing of the difficulties, he attempts to put off following Christ for a time… There is but one time with God, and it is present, and it is now. We must come to Him in humility and find the strength His grace provides as He draws us to Himself. There is a time to speak, brothers and sisters – a time to speak and a manner of speaking. It is not right to speak until the Lord stops to listen. We must wait on Him and His grace. One does not burst into the court of a king unannounced proclaiming his loyalty to Him who sits on the throne. One waits until called and then pours out one's heart, trusting in the compassion of the Lord. It is His desire to share with us all His works. It is His pleasure to hear our good prayers. But let us realize to whom we speak and come in true faith and humility; and He will hear and answer all our petitions, and we will become sharers in His promised glory. ******* O LORD, in the Day of Judgment you will spare those who walk with your Son. YHWH, how kind and merciful you are, for you stop to listen to our prayers; you desire to share with us your plans. What are we but dust and ashes? And yet you make us your own sons and shower your blessings upon us. Be so kind as to answer our call to save all those in need. Your Son you send to us, LORD, to walk among us and lead us to you, our Father in Heaven. And so, all things of this earth we must leave behind if we are to walk in His way, if we are to rest with you in the heavenly kingdom. But we are weak, dear God, so weak and so blind. We know not what it is you ask of us, and are afraid to come to your side. Draw us unto you, LORD, in your kindness; in your compassion help us to approach you with our plea. Without your help we shall not find the salvation you wish to share with us poor creatures. Without your grace we cannot follow your Son.

(Gn.18:1-15; Lk.1:46-50,53-55; Mt.8:5-17) "Is anything too marvelous for the Lord to do?" Our theme again is faith. Do we believe as Abraham, as Mary, as the centurion? Only such trust will save us. In our first reading the Lord appears to Abraham. We have here the marvelous scene of faith being born, being conceived. Abraham sits patiently, waiting, praying – expectant of the Lord's return to confirm His word to him. Then, "looking up, he saw three men nearby." There is the Lord before him. His reaction is one we all must learn to follow: he does not hesitate an instant. He runs to them, bows before them (even to the ground), and begs them to stay with him that he might serve them. With haste he has food prepared for them, "and he waited on them under the tree while they ate"; his eyes "like the eyes of a servant on the hand of his master" (Ps.123:2), he watches their every move to be certain they are well pleased. (In addition to this quote from Psalms, one cannot help but think of Jesus' words to the church at Laodicea in the Book of Revelation (3:20): "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.") As Abraham sits there gazing at the Lord, He speaks to His servant: "Where is your wife, Sarah?" Here comes that which Abraham has been longing to hear. His heart leaps up, and the Lord states His promise in no uncertain terms. Now Sarah laughs. But Abraham is no longer laughing. The Lord tests him with the question, "Why did Sarah laugh?" to show to Abraham that he no longer thinks the promise too marvelous for the Lord to fulfill. The Lord repeats the promise. Abraham believes to the depths of his soul; He knows the word spoken to him is of truth. And he shall take his wife in fruitful embrace. How appropriate to hear Mary's Magnificat in our daily bread, she who is the handmaiden of the Lord, who believed the words of the angel and so found the greatest blessing of the Lord and the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham. How like Mary, the model of all the faithful, has her father Abraham come to be. And, of course, our gospel finds Jesus marveling at the faith of the Roman centurion, greater than any He has found in Israel. It bodes well that all of faith shall be found at table in the kingdom of God, but we must heed Jesus' warning that "the natural heirs will be driven out." For we are the heirs of the Israelites. As Catholics we now hold the covenant. We have the apostolic succession, the sacraments, the teaching – all the gifts are ours. But have we the faith necessary to gain entrance into His kingdom; are we prepared to come to His table and dine with Him who feeds us with the food of everlasting life? Do we believe? This question the Lord puts on all our souls. How shall we answer? ******* O LORD, let us be quick to serve you and you will make a place for us in your kingdom. YHWH, instill faith in our very souls, the faith of Abraham and Mary, the faith the centurion shows even though he is not of your people. And we shall bear fruit in abundance; and your mercy shall be known to the ends of the earth. Though our hearts be old and withered, O LORD, though we be beyond the age of giving birth, yet you come to us in your mercy and make us fruitful in your NAME. And so, what should we do but praise you? How ready we should be to obey your commands! Look upon your servants in our lowliness. We are not worthy to have you come under our roof, yet your Son you give to us as our very food. We indeed should feed you, O God, but it is you who provide for our needs; by your hand we are fed each day at the table of sacrifice – we who have been so far from your face, you heal and bring near by a word from your mouth, and so we praise you in joy.

(Ez.34:11-16; Ps.23:1-6; Rm.5:5-11; Lk.15:3-7) "I have found my lost sheep." "We have found reconciliation" through the blood of Jesus Christ. So the Apostle Paul tells us, and so we know to the depths of our hearts, which are united to His Sacred Heart. Once we were sinners, scattered like sheep on the hillside, but the Lamb of God has come and died for us, and so we His scattered sheep are led home. He has brought to fulfillment the promise of the Father to walk among us and rescue us from the darkness that envelops this world. "The lost," "the strayed," "the injured," "the sick," He has come to lead back to the bosom of the Father, where we may take refuge in His Sacred Heart. "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us"; so let us recognize our sin that His blood might be efficacious. Let us not deny His grace as "people who have no need to repent." For if we say we are righteous, the darkness will continue to surround us and He will not be beside us to guide us to the Father's pasture: we will be left alone and forsaken. No, let us cause heaven to rejoice by repenting of our sin each day and always finding His blood at work within us. To what pasture He leads us! What protection we find even in this life, a blessing known especially in His Sacrament. And what future awaits us in His heavenly kingdom. We taste it and make our boast in it now, but there it shall be known in its fullness when, indeed, nothing shall ever harm us. "For, now we rejoice in the refuge He gives as we "walk in the dark valley"; even still He is gathering His scattered sheep. Yes, to this day He moves among us as our Shepherd, and then we shall rest eternally in the Father's arms. We give thanks to the Lord for the blessings He provides us on our path to His glory. We thank Him for His Church and its sacraments. We come to the altar and receive His sacrifice this day, knowing we are not worthy of such a call. But we confess our sins to Him. We seek His forgiveness through the ministry of the shepherds He has left us, and His mercy finds a place in us. Sacred Heart of Jesus, thank you for your grace and mercy. Lead us home to the Father's arms. O Lord, like sheep we have all gone astray; lead us back today, and on your holy mountain may we take rest. Written, read & chanted by James Kurt; produced by Roger Fortney. Music by Roger Fortney; used by permission. ******* O LORD, in your mercy and love shepherd us to restful waters. YHWH, is it not the blood of your Son that reconciles us to you, that shepherds us into your kingdom? And so, does Heaven not now await every repentant sinner? O let us rejoice in your presence with all who have found your forgiveness! Your promise is sure, dear God. You promise to come among us and lead all straying souls back to you, back to your holy mountain; and this you have accomplished by sending your Son to die for our sins. And now by the grace upon us by virtue of His sacrifice, your Spirit guides us in right paths to your House, where we shall dwell forever in your peace. Why do you love us so, dear LORD? Why does your Son so freely lay down His life for godless men like us? O let us but accept the healing grace that comes to us because of your compassion! Let all souls repent of their sin and rejoice in Heaven, in your Sacred Heart.

(Gn.16:1-12,15-16; Ps.106:1-5; Mt.7:21-29) "Anyone who hears my words but does not put them into practice is like the foolish man who built his house on sandy ground." The Lord hears our words and answers our cries, but He is not so interested in these as in our listening to His voice and remaining obedient to Him. His desire is that we always strive to do His will; the recounting of our own deeds rings empty in His ears. It is ten years since the Lord's call and promise to Abram. Abram and Sarai grow old and the word of the Lord has not been fulfilled. Sarai thinks to resolve the problem, taking matters in her own hands, and Abram, faltering in his faith and failing to turn to the Lord for guidance, instead "heeded Sarai's request" to take Hagar as his concubine. And oh what shaky ground Abram would stand upon now! Oh what turmoil would be wrought by his failure to withstand the torrents that come with time! For now the lashing of the winds would only increase; now his sin would bear a son who would be "a wild ass of a man, his hand against everyone," indeed in continual war with his kinsmen. And when the son of the promise does finally come, his children will be subject to the yoke of the descendants of the son of this "Egyptian maid-servant." Four hundred years they themselves will become slaves to her offspring. And persecution shall follow them through the desert and even into the Promised Land. Though yet blessed, they will not come to the fulfillment of the peace of God; only in the New Jerusalem founded in Jesus' blood will the law given as their guide and the promise of the ages be fulfilled in God's sight. How empty our psalm rings today, for we are reminded by Abram's fault that we do not "do always what is just"; we remember our own failures to patiently wait on the word of the Lord – we have now in mind our own lack of obedience in hearing and following His command. We see the tangled web we weave when we take matters of our life into our own soiled hands. But this it is necessary to remember: by our own wills nothing is accomplished. We can do nothing except by God. And let us expect no recompense for that which has its beginning and end in the Lord. Our house will be founded firmly only by silent obedience to the authoritative teaching of Christ. Jesus, forgive us all our wanderings in the thoughts of our own hearts. Redeem all of mankind in your blood; conform us to the will of God. Hear our cry. Make us silent before you. We are your unworthy servants. ******* O LORD, if we have you, we have everything, and so shall stand; without you we have nothing, and can only be destroyed – it is by your blessing we live and prosper. YHWH, if you build our house, it is blessed, it is set solidly on rock. But if we fail to hear and heed your voice, taking matters into our own corrupted hands, there is little hope for our salvation. We cannot be saved if we do not listen to the Word your Son brings us, for only He speaks with authority. How difficult it is, LORD, not to listen to ourselves, not to be led astray by what seems right to our own minds. Your promise is with us always, and it is sure. Yet we cannot wait for its fulfillment, we cannot trust in your providence – even Abraham lacked faith that you would give him a son, and so he went in to his wife's handmaid. And our sins do not lack consequence, dear LORD; you do not fail to punish those who go astray. And so Ishmael will stand in opposition to all his kin; and so we are continually threatened by the fruits of our sin. Yet you hear our plaintive cry.

(Gn.15:1-12,17-18; Ps.105:1-4,6-9; Mt.7:15-20) "Abram put his faith in the Lord, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness." In our gospel today, Jesus teaches us, "You can tell a tree by its fruit." And what can we tell of Abram but that he is a bountiful tree, faithful and strong. Indeed, in his faith is his goodness, and in his children, who reach down even unto this day, his blessed fruit is known. What holy, gentle conversation the Lord has with Abram, coming to him in visions to speak to his soul, to thus nourish this tree which He has planted upon the earth. And how faithful Abram is, patiently awaiting the growth which comes from God. Here, my friends, is the Lord's relationship with man exemplified. This is how we should be with our God… seeking the Lord, asking Him the questions which are upon our hearts, believing Him as He speaks to us – as He surely does. For such is our God to us: coming to us in our fears, reassuring our souls, remaining ever faithful to us as He brings to maturity the fruit He has planted in our spirit. No doubt we should have of His blessing. His promise is sure. And so with our psalmist we should celebrate; we should "glory in His holy name." For we are "descendants of Abraham," partakers of the faith brought to fulfillment in Jesus, fruit of the tree of life. And the Lord "remembers forever His covenant." This grace we have been given shall never leave us; the life within us shall remain. And in our days, through our time, as we partake of our daily bread, the Lord continually speaks to us and blesses us, bringing our fruit to maturity as we progress and grow in His Name. And we shall look upon our children's children. Our own trees shall indeed bear fruit in His light. We must but remain faithful to Him; we must but keep diligent as Abram who, though "birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses," stayed by his holy sacrifice. We shall see the false prophets of our age come to naught; we shall see these trees "cut down and thrown into the fire." And we will see and know the rebirth of true doctrine: our Church we will witness in all its heavenly glory. "Fear not!" the Lord says to Abram, and so He speaks to us. Our descendants shall be numerous as the stars. With all the children of God we shall rejoice. Keep faith in your hearts. ******* O LORD, how fruitful indeed is Abraham, whose spiritual children surpass the many nations born of his loins. YHWH, let us be fruitful in your sight. Come to us and reassure us of your presence with us, of your blessing upon our souls, that we might enter into the Covenant you made with Abraham and be fruitful in faith as he. O let our descendants be as the stars in the sky. O LORD, make us as your chosen ones, serving you constantly on this earth, and we shall rejoice forever in the glory of your kingdom with all your saints in light. Steadfast let us be in doing your will, in keeping the wolves at bay. May the sacrifice we offer be holy, and we be acceptable in your sight. Your voice make known to us, LORD; let us hear and answer your call. A faith so simple and profound provide your disciples – make us as children before you. And as we seek you so, let us find you.... May the blood of your Son course through our veins, and so we bear fruit all our days in your holy NAME.

(Gn.12:1-9; Ps.33:12-13,18-20,22; Mt.7:1-5) "The eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear Him." There is a plank in our own eye; there is but a speck in our brother's. This is what the Lord sees. And this is what we see if we fear the Lord. If we fear the Lord, we remain humble before Him. If we fear the Lord, we will be released from judgment. If we fear the Lord, we indeed will be as Abram, following His blessed commands. "Abram went as the Lord directed him," our first reading tells us so aptly today. He left his father's house at a word from God and followed wherever God led, his path illumined only by faith. He walked not by his eyes but only by his faith in the Lord's promise to him; the Lord became his eyes and he trusted himself and all his family and all his possessions to these eyes which watched over him. In darkness and in quiet he sets out, the Lord as his only light and His voice as his only guide. Such faith, such blessed faith and humility. Such faith must we all have, brothers and sisters, for it cannot be otherwise but that the Lord calls each one of us to such faith, to such trust; He calls each of us from our "father's house" to walk with Him alone and find our way in His presence. Do we fear Him? Do we love Him? Are we humble before Him? If so, we will know the path upon which the Lord leads us; we will hear His voice speaking quietly in our ears and in our hearts. And we will follow Him. And He will bless us and fulfill His own call for our lives. He will remove the plank from our eyes and grace us with the ability to remove the speck from others'. He will be our wisdom in teaching, our strength in serving. We will not go forth vainly in our own power, but will know His hand guiding us in all we do, for all will be done in His Name. Then great things will be accomplished in us. Then we become sharers in the promise of Abraham. The Lord is our God. He watches over. He judges. He leads. All healing and all grace and blessing come from His hand and not our own. Our eyes see only what is before us; His illumine the universe. But we may share in His vision, we may partake of His presence, if we have faith, if we humble ourselves before Him and go as He directs. And as He blesses us so with His guidance, as we find ourselves coming into His kingdom, let us not fail to build an altar to His Name, let us remember to praise Him for His grace. And we shall find our path sure; and in time we shall come "by stages" to eternal life. ******* O LORD, let us not judge, but love; let us go as you direct us. YHWH, who can see as you see, who has vision so pure? Only he who repents of his sin and obediently follows your way, walking in harmony with his brother. If we are not humble, we are blind, for your power is not known to us. We shall remain in darkness forever if we do not come to faith in you. Let us be faithful as Abraham; let us reflect his obedience to your Word. Let us listen this day to your Son and turn from hardness of heart and judgment of others that your kindness may be upon us, O LORD. If we are not kind and forgiving, neither shall we be forgiven, but rather bring condemnation upon our own souls – O let us repent of such blindness! Save us, O LORD, from the death of sin, from vain pride; preserve our souls in this land of famine, in this foreign place. Let us leave behind the idols of this age and build an altar in our hearts to you. You are our God, you alone. Help us to leave all behind to find your way, walking humbly with one another. Then our eyes shall be opened.

(Gn.14:18-20; Ps.110:1-4; 1Cor.11:23-26; Lk.9:11b-17) "The Lord Jesus, on the night He was handed over, took bread, and, after He had given thanks, broke it and said, 'This is my body that is for you.'" There is food for all, and it is ever available. The Lord feeds us with His own Body and Blood, and He is generous in giving His eternal self to us. Both eternal priest and victim "of God Most High," and God Himself, we need never fear that His provision for us will lapse. And so we "proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes"; we share in His holy sacrifice until it is made complete in heaven. For it is His death which gives us life, it is the holy offering of Himself which feeds us on our journey here. Let us come always to the altar of His Sacrament and feast upon the nourishment He provides. In our gospel we hear that "Jesus spoke to the crowds of the kingdom of God," healing those in need. After the Word was opened to them, the bread was brought forth. "Looking up to heaven, He said the blessing over [the loaves], broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd." As He would do the night before He died, so He would do here, in answer to the concern of the Twelve for the people. He says to His chosen, "Give them some food yourselves." He thus invites them to share in His sacrifice and in His ministry by laying down their lives for the Church. Here is the Mass clearly foreshadowed. Here it is present even before the death of Christ. Even before the victim has fully offered Himself, He leads us to the table upon which we ever feed. And that which was begun in this desert place so long ago comes down to us this day. The twelve baskets of food remaining we continue to be fed with today; and this Bread continues to be multiplied – the more we eat of it, the more there is to be eaten. Such is God's love and generosity. Such is the richness of the table He sets before us. Like our priest and victim, it is eternal. There is no end to God's grace and the blessings He holds for us. We cannot consume the depths of His love. And so we are to contribute to the spreading and the sharing of the holy offering Jesus is for us. We must call all to the altar of the Lord; we must see that His gift is multiplied. He is "a priest forever"; as long as we live, He dies for us – for as long as we breathe upon this earth, His blood is poured forth. Let us pray in words and in deeds that this blood will come to many and cleanse them of their sins. Let us pray that many come to life by His sacrifice, that many will partake of His Body and His Blood. By each one who comes to the table, we are all strengthened, for the Body is made more whole. Until the time this one Body has reached fulfillment, until His sacrifice is complete, let us continue indeed to "proclaim the death of the Lord," who thereby feeds us with His eternal love. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Symbiosis: State of Living Together" from All One, sixth album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, it is you who deliver our foes into our hands, for it is you who strengthen us with the Body and Blood of your Son. YHWH, Jesus shares His very Body and Blood, His own self, with us; and so we who are blessed to partake of this food become as He is, graced with the power of your only Son. As He hands the bread to His disciples to distribute to the people and it is in their hands the bread is multiplied, so His princely power is shared with all who eat His Body and drink His Blood. And so all are fed. Jesus is the priest of the Most High God, the priest and victim whom you bless, O Father in Heaven. And the blessing upon Him falls on all who follow Him, upon all who come to His table and eat. It is for our sakes He accepts such a blessing; such a call to lay down His life He receives from you that we might have the food of Heaven, that we might not starve upon this plane. And so we proclaim the grace that is ours by His death, until He comes again.