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17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

Sunday July 28, 2024

Mass Readings for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

  • First Reading - 2 Kings 4:42-44: A man brings Elisha twenty loaves and grain. Despite his servant's doubt, Elisha insists they feed a hundred people, assuring them that there will be leftovers, which indeed happens.
  • Responsorial Psalm -Psalm 145: All of God's creations thank Him. God provides food in the right season, satisfying all desires. He is just, holy, and close to all who truthfully call upon Him.
  • Second Reading - Ephesians 4:1-6: Live worthily of your divine call with humility, gentleness, and patience, showing love and unity. Maintain peace, as we are united under one Lord, faith, baptism, and Father.
  • Gospel - John 6:1-15: When a large crowd gathered, Jesus took five loaves of bread and two fish, gave thanks, and miraculously fed thousands of people. After everyone had eaten and was satisfied, the disciples collected twelve baskets of leftover fragments.

Themes for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

The readings for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B tell of how God provides for all of our needs and feeds us spiritually. In the first reading Elisha assures his servant that 20 barley loaves will feed 100 people, and it does just as the Lord promised. And in the gospel Jesus feeds the crowd of five thousand with five loaves and two fish, a foreshadowing of the Eucharist.

  • Jesus' Compassion: The passage highlights Jesus' compassion for the hungry crowd, as He seeks to meet their physical needs by providing food for them.
  • The Significance of the Miracle: The miraculous feeding of the multitude with five loaves of bread and two fish serves as a sign of Jesus' divine power and authority, revealing His identity as the Son of God.
  • God's Abundance: The multiplication of the loaves and fish showcases God's ability to abundantly provide for His people, exceeding their expectations and demonstrating His generous nature.
  • The Disciples' Role: Jesus involves His disciples in the miracle by instructing them to distribute the food to the crowd, illustrating the importance of their participation and cooperation in God's work.
  • Contentment and Satisfaction: The crowd's satisfaction after being fed reflects the spiritual nourishment that comes from encountering Jesus, highlighting the fulfillment and contentment found in a relationship with Him.
  • Foreshadowing the Eucharist: The multiplication of the loaves and fish serves as a foreshadowing of the Eucharistic celebration, where Jesus would later institute the Sacrament of His Body and Blood, providing spiritual nourishment for His followers throughout history.

See the Homilies and Reflections section and the More Thoughts section for further expansion on these readings and some reflection questions for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B.

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Resources for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

God Sustains Us

We know God sustains us and cares for us. This is a prayer based on Psalm 145, which is the responsorial psalm for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B. This prayer expresses praise to God for the way he watches over us.

Loaves and Fishes: Eucharist Lesson Plan

This Eucharist lesson plan will help youth understand that God provides for all of our needs. He especially cares for our spiritual needs through the gift of Himself in the Eucharist.

Homilies and Reflections for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

What You Need to Know about the Catholic Mass

A homily for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B from Bishop Robert Barron. "Friends, the sixth chapter of John is one of the most profound reflections we have on the meaning of the Eucharist. Let us pay close attention to our Gospel today, which is John’s account of the miraculous multiplication of the loaves, to form a better appreciation of the miracle we partake in at every Mass."

The Unity of the Eucharist

In this reflection for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, Jeff Cavins explains how the Eucharist unites us. Even we are not physically together, we are united with the entire Body of Christ all over the world.

Bread Left Over

A reflection for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B from Scott Hahn. "Today’s liturgy brings together several strands of Old Testament expectation to reveal Jesus as Israel’s promised Messiah and King, the Lord who comes to feed His people."

The Mystery of the Mass

Another homily for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B from Bishop Barron. "The sixth chapter of John’s Gospel, from which we will be reading these next several weeks, is a sustained meditation on the meaning of the Mass and the Eucharist. Our passage for today, when read symbolically, illumines the major movements of the Mass."

More Thoughts for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

Unity, Eucharist, and Early Christian Mission

In the gospel for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, John 6:1-15, tells the story of a miracle known as the feeding of the five thousand. This miracle is special because it is the only one that appears in all four Gospels. This shows us how important it was to the early Christians and what a significant impact it had on them.

One reason this miracle was so important is because it relates to the Eucharist, which was a very meaningful experience for the first Christians. The breaking of the bread during the miracle was a practice that brought them together and helped them feel the presence of the Lord. It became an important part of their worship as the Christian faith began to spread.

Building a Caring Community

The miracle also showed the early Christian community's mission to care for one another. Right from the start, the Church understood that it was their responsibility to help and support each other. They believed that by sharing what they had, they could build the Kingdom of God and make the world a better place.

As we think about this Gospel passage, we can learn from the early Christians. They found unity in the breaking of the bread and looked out for one another. We, too, should strive to come together and support each other as a community. We should also remember the importance of the Eucharist, which allows us to experience the presence of Christ in our lives.

Embracing Our Mission

Additionally, this miracle challenges us to think about how we can contribute to building a better world. We can use our own resources and talents to help those in need and make our society more fair and caring. By following the example of the early Christians, we can fulfill our mission to bring Christ's love to others and make a positive difference.

Let us reflect on the feeding of the five thousand and appreciate the significance of the Eucharist. May it inspire us to come together as a community, support one another, and work towards creating a more loving and inclusive world, just as the early Christians did.

Reflection Questions for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

  • How does the feeding of the five thousand demonstrate the importance of unity within the early Christian community?
  • In what ways can the Eucharist bring people together and help us experience the presence of Christ in our lives?
  • What can we learn from the early Christians' mission to care for one another? How can we apply this mission in our own lives and communities?
  • Reflect on instances where you have witnessed or experienced unity within a community. How did it impact the individuals involved and the overall sense of belonging?
  • How can we use our resources and talents to make a positive difference in the world and contribute to building a more caring and fair society?
  • In what ways can we embrace the mission of bringing Christ's love to others? What practical steps can we take to demonstrate love and compassion towards those in need?
  • How can we actively support and uplift one another within our own communities? What initiatives or actions can be taken to foster a sense of unity and support?
  • Reflect on the role of empathy and understanding in building a loving and inclusive world. How can we cultivate these qualities in ourselves and encourage them in others?
  • How does the feeding of the five thousand inspire you to appreciate the significance of the Eucharist in your own faith journey? How can you deepen your understanding and reverence for this sacrament?
  • What personal commitment can you make to come together as a community, support one another, and contribute to creating a more loving and inclusive world, guided by the teachings of Christ?

Quotes and Social Media Graphics for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

This quote from Psalm 145 assures us that the hand of the Lord feeds us. God is looking out for us. He knows what we need and He provides for us. This is especially true of how God feeds us through the Eucharist.

taking care of others
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With the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves, Jesus wants to educate His friends, both then and now, about God’s logic: the logic of taking responsibility for others.

Pope Francis
What do I bring to Jesus today pope francis quote
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It would be good to ask ourselves every day: “What do I bring to Jesus today?”. He can do a lot with one of our prayers, with a gesture of charity for others. This is how God loves to act: He does great things, starting from those small things.

Pope Francis

Music Suggestions for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

Sunday July 28, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

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