God Is Love
1
Jn 4:7-10; Psalms
72:1-2,
10, 12-13; Mk 6:34-44
Daily
Gospel
Introduction
Here comes the great theme of the apostle John, almost like an obsession, both in his letter and in the gospel: God is the origin of all love. For he is love: alove that is giving, a love, as the gospel shows, that is compassionate. Self-communication is the mark of love: within God, from God to people and the world. He gives us his Son, who showed in his person that to love is to give up oneself out of love. And on the part of people, love means also to receive, to be willing to accept love as a pure gift, both from God and from one another.
Opening
Prayer
Lord God, our Father,
you took the initiative of loving us
before we could ever love you,
for love is your name
and you are a God of people.
Help us to recognize this love
become flesh in Jesus your Son.
Let him stir and transform
the very depths of our hearts,
that we too may offer to you and to people
all the love of which you have made us capable
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Liturgy
of the Word
My dear friends, let us love one another for love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
Those who do not love have not known God, for God is love.
How did the love of God appear among us? God sent his only Son into this world that we might have life through him.
This is love: not that we loved God but that he first loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
R (see 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king(s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R (see 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
R (see 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R (see 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
As Jesus went ashore he saw a large crowd, and he had compassion on them for they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began a long teaching session with them.It was now getting late, so his disciples came to him and said, "This is a lonely place and it is now late. You should send the people away and let them go to the farms and villages around here to buy themselves something to eat."Jesus replied, "You yourselves give them something to eat." They answered, "If we are to give them food, we must go and buy two hundred silver coins' worth of bread." But Jesus said, "You have some loaves: how many? Go and see." The disciples found out and said, "There are five loaves and two fish."Then he told them to have the people sit down together in groups on the green grass. This they did in groups of hundreds and fifties. And Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish and, raising his eyes to heaven, he pronounced a blessing, broke the loaves and handed them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them.
They all ate and everyone had enough. The disciples gathered up what was left and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces of bread and fish. Five thousand men had eaten there.
The account of the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fish is one that we will read many times this year. Many layers of meaning are found within it.
Notice, for example, that Jesus does not produce food for the multitudes out of thin air. Instead, He asks the disciples to give Him what they have. Admittedly they provide very little, just five loaves and two fish. But from what little they have to give, Jesus works a great miracle.
Never think that you have nothing to contribute in this life. The Lord is more than capable of making something wonderful out of whatever you have to offer, even if it seems like very little.
General
Intercessions
– For the Churches groping for unity, that one day they may eat together from the same table the one bread of the Lord, we pray:
– For all people of good will, that they may build up together a just society based on fairness and love where there is no room for any discrimination, we pray:
– For all of us here, that we may form a community of service, love and hope, open to all needs and all just aspirations, we pray:
Prayer
over the Gifts
Lord God, loving Father,
in every eucharistic celebration
you let us experience again and again
your self-giving love.
Accept in this bread and this wine
our own meager efforts
to become to people
bread broken and shared,
together with Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer
after Communion
Lord, our God and Father,
accept our thanks for loving us
even before we could love you.
Prepare us not only to give love
but also to receive it
from you and from one another
in all simplicity and gratitude.
For this is the way you taught us
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Blessing
We have broken bread with the Lord. This commits us to call on all human resources to share with those in need food, justice, culture and freedom. May God strengthen and bless you for this task, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.