Entrance Antiphon Ps 69:2.6
O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me! You are my rescuer, my help; O Lord, do not delay.
Collect
Draw near to your servants, O Lord, and answer their prayers with unceasing kindness, that, for those who glory in you as their Creator and guide, you may restore what you have created and keep safe what you have restored. Through our Lord…
FIRST READING
“Come and eat.”
A reading from the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 55 : 1-3)
Thus says the Lord: “Ho, every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, merciful love for David.”
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 145:8-9. 15-16. l 7- I b (R. :16)
R/. You open your hand, Lord, and you satisfy us.
The Lord is kind and full of compassion,
slow to anger, abounding in mercy.
How good is the Lord to all,
compassionate to all his creatures. R.
The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
You open your hand and satisfy
the desire of every living thing. R.
Second Reading
A reading form the Book of Romans (Romans 8:35, 37-39)
Brethren: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sward? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Acclamation:
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
Gospel
Reading from the Gospel according to Matthew (Matthew 14:13-21)
At that time: When Jesus heard [of the death of John the Baptist], he withdrew from there in a boat to a lonely place apart. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. As he went ashore he saw a great throng; and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides woman and children.
Today’s Reflection
The Lord is good because He is truly gracious and merciful. If God were to treat us according to his justice, we would be lost. This is why we should sing daily of the goodness of God and live by it. His goodness surpasses our wildest imagination. This explains God’s tireless love for us his children. he provides us with our daily necessities. Like a father, he feeds the hungry with rich food; he satisfies the thirsty soul; he cures the sick and forgives our sins. God so deeply understands human weakness that our needs move him to pity and compassion. We believe that nothing can separate us from his love. We are invited to imitate God’s goodness by understanding the shortcomings and needs of others and reaching out to help them.