The Vineyard Laborer

A Heart to Love Thee Mk 7: 1- 8, 14 – 15, 21 – 23 22 nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Introduction The reading today tells us how some Pharisees and scribes noticed how Jesus’ disciples failed to follow some traditions regarding ritual cleanliness. This included the washing of hands, plates and cups among other things. Jesus rebukes them, saying that the failure to observe such rituals was not the source of man’s uncleanliness. The Gospel Our Gospel today speaks of how some of Jesus’ detractors, particularly the   Pharisees and some scribes noticed how Jesus’ disciples failed to follow some traditions regarding ritual cleanliness. They were referring particularly to those rituals that were to be observed before eating meals such as the washing of hands. They saw how the disciples ate a meal with unclean hands. The Jews were particular about the observance of these rituals. The gospel speaks of how observant the Jews were and speaks of this meticulous a...

  Words of Eternal Life Jn 6: 60 – 69 21sth Sunday in Ordinary Time  Introduction For the past three Sundays, our readings have been about Jesus who revealed himself to the crowd as the bread come down from heaven. Today’s reading, however, reveals the negative reactions of the crowd regarding this revelation with some of them deciding not to follow Jesus anymore. Our Gospel begins with many of Jesus’ disciples saying: “ This saying is hard, who can accept it.”   They were referring to what Jesus has said; that he is the bread come down from heaven; that this bread is his own flesh; and that his flesh is real food, his blood real drink; that anyone who eats of his flesh and drinks his blood will know no hunger or thirst but will have eternal life. The full revelation of Jesus as bread come down from heaven seemed too difficult to accept for Jesus’ disciples who, for all this time, have followed him closely as he taught and moved...

For My Flesh is True Food Jn 6: 51 – 58 20 th Sunday in Ordinary Time In today’s reading, Jesus continues to reveal himself as the living bread come down from heaven. But he goes further in saying that the bread he gives is his flesh. This causes some commotion among the crowd as they did not understand what he meant. Our reading starts with a stark revelation from Jesus as he declared to the crowd: “ I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. “ Understandably so, the crowd who heard him speak this way quarreled among themselves saying: “ How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”   Jesus then goes further, saying : “ Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of   the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the l...

This is the Bread that Comes Down From Heaven Jn 6: 41 – 51 19 th Sunday in Ordinary Time In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the crowd that he is the bread that has come down from heaven. This statement from Jesus causes quite a stir among the crowd. They couldn’t accept that he is from heaven as they know him to be Joseph’s son, one who hails from a nearby Galilean town. Nonetheless, Jesus continues to reveal to them that he is the bread of life. Our gospel starts with a sour note: the Jews murmured about Jesus because he said, “ I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They seem to know much about Jesus especially his roots. They can accept him as the miracle worker, the healer and the preacher – but not someone who comes from heaven. That statement was just too much for them; hence their murmuring.             Amidst this unbelieving environment, Jesus continues to disclose to them who he is. He ...

Sir, Give Us this Bread Always Jn 6:24-35 18 th Sunday in Ordinary Time In today’s Gospel, we hear about the crowd who followed Jesus at another side of the lake after they have witnessed the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves. This time, they sought Jesus not because they believed in him but because they wanted more of the bread they had so much in abundance. Jesus tells them to seek instead the bread that comes down from heaven that only the Father gives.   Our reading begins with the crowd finding out that Jesus and his disciples were no longer there with them. So they got into their boats and followed Jesus. They found him in Capernaum, another lakeside town in Galilee. When Jesus meets the crowd, he immediately discloses to them their intentions, saying: “ Amen, Amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. “ Jesus knew that they were seeking him not because ...