Last Sunday we began a five week focus on the 6th chapter of the Gospel of John. We do this every three years, just as we repeat all the Sunday readings every three years. That the Church should spend five weeks on John 6 demonstrates that this is one of the most important sections of the Gospels.

 The first reading of this Sunday made me reflect deeper on the Eucharistic prayer # 2 the specific part called the Epiclesis. Here the priest calls upon the Holy Spirit to make holy our sacrifices and the sacrifice of bread and wine. The words of the prayer are “make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for us the Body + and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.” Did you see it? The DEWFALL. It reminded me that this prayer refers to what happens to be our first reading this weekend. In it we heard how a heavy dew settled on the camp where Moses and the Israelites had settled in for the night. Amidst all their hunger, complaining, hardship etc. God had provided for every need and provided more than enough food for the Israelites. The Gospel reading parallels the first and both are wonderful reminders not only of God’s goodness and promise but especially of whose we are. They also tell us about the source and summit of our faith and what sustains us. All throughout history God has fulfilled His promise to humanity. For us, that promise to sustain us comes in the Eucharist. It nourishes us in body and spirit. It transforms us; sometimes in very small ways and sometimes in grand ways to be more like Christ. Our source and summit is as stated in this week’s Gospel reading “The Bread of Life”; Jesus Christ who through the Eucharist dwells within each of us.

Let our prayer be, Lord give us our daily bread from heaven. Never let us forget your generous goodness in caring for us. Let us never stop looking to you with gratitude and fidelity.

 We have two parish events that are coming up that can help us build our community – Parish Picnic on Sunday August 30, with the noon Mass in the tent followed by fun and fellowship and “Parish Fun Run” on September 20^th.  We will need help and volunteers for both these event to make it successful, so if you have that time, energy and talent just sign up when help is asked for. Thank You.

World Youth Day

Pope Francis has invited the youth of the world on pilgrimage to World Youth Day 2016–and on Sunday he became the first pilgrim to register himself.

 Today we open registration for the thirty-first World Youth Day, to be held next year in Poland, he said. I invite the youth of the world to live this pilgrimage that will be going to Krakow.  The youth will be participating in this moment of grace for their communities, he said.

 The Pope spoke from the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square after praying the Angelus July 26. With a young man and a young woman at his side, he used an iPad to become the first registered pilgrim for the next World Youth Day. Look, I enrolled in the Day as a pilgrim through this electronic device, Pope Francis said.

 St. John Paul II instituted the international gathering in 1985 to bring together young people to pray and worship and to celebrate their Catholic faith. The events are held every 2-3 years and have drawn crowds of up to 5 million people. World Youth Day 2016 will be held in Krakow, Poland from July 26-31.

Pope Francis attended the 2013 World Youth Day with millions of people in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. About 2.5 million people are expected to attend the 2016 event, including about 30,000 from the United States.

The Pope on Sunday said the next World Youth Day will be a jubilee of youth who are called to reflect on its biblical theme, Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.