Introit: Ps. 47:3, 6-8; antiphon: Ps. 47:1-2

Gradual: Ps. 34:11, 5

Old Testament: Gen. 2:7-17

Psalm 33:1-11 (antiphon: v. 6)

Epistle: Rom. 6:19-23

ProperVerse: Ps. 47:1

Gospel: Mark 8:1-9

Jesus Restores Paradise and Feeds Us Freely

In the Garden of Eden, our first parents received food freely from the gracious hand of God, apart from any burdensome work (Gen 2:7_17). But after the fall, food would be received only through toil and labor. The curse declared, "By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground . . ." (Gen. 3:19). In other words, "The wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). But into this wilderness world came Jesus the Messiah to restore creation. Having compassion on the weary multitudes, He renewed the bounty of Eden on the third day, freely granting an abundance of bread to the 4,000 (Mark 8:1_9). So also our Lord Jesus, having endured the burden of our sin, was raised on the third day to bring us back to Paradise. He now miraculously turns the bread of death into the Bread of Life in the Sacrament, giving you His very body and blood for your forgiveness. For "the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 6:23).