#Bread of Life Church

[iscariotapologist]

today in church one of the priests referred to trans people as "those who are growing into the gender they were called to be" and i'm kind of enjoying the idea of like....divinely ordained top surgery

[shawnpgreene]

Jesus and Baptism

There are many questions people have about baptism and who can perform it. Interesting enough, Jesus didn’t. Here are some common questions people have about Jesus and Baptism. Baptisms by the Bridge === Why was Jesus baptized by water if he didn’t need to repent? Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist, as described in the Gospels, served several profound purposes beyond repentance, which Jesus did…

[momentsbeforemass]

How can you tell?

When you read the Bible, you’re going to run into a lot of ideas about it.

Some of them are helpful. Some of them are just weird. Some of them are anything but helpful.

Some of the most harmful? The ones that boil down to making the Bible say what you want it to.

Sadly, no one has a monopoly on abusing the Bible this way. The people who do it come from every political and theological corner you can think of.

One of the worst? Picking and choosing what parts of the Bible to read literally (this happened, here’s what God said, etc.) and what parts to read as allegory or myth (a story is being told to make a point, a legend that reveals something about God, etc.).

Not that we shouldn’t do that. We should read the literal stuff as literal and the allegories as allegory. It’s just that some of the ideas about how to do that are so easily abused.

And easily used to abuse.

So how can you tell?

It’s easier than you think. You don’t need a degree in literature or theology.

Because you’re already doing it. Here’s what I mean:

“A sower went out to so some seed. And as he sowed, some of the seed fell on…”

Right. Before Jesus unpacks it, you know that this one is an allegory. It has that “once upon a time” feel to it.

But even if the farmer was an actual person, that’s not why Jesus is telling the story.

Jesus is not critiquing first century agricultural practices. Jesus is using the story to make a point. And we all know it.

Today’s Gospel is the bread of life discourse, where Jesus tells people that He is the bread of life. And then goes on to explain exactly what He means.

There are a lot of people who want this to be an allegory. For a lot of reasons.

It’s not.

How can I say that? How can you tell that Jesus is being literal about this one?

The reactions it gets. And way the way Jesus responds to those reactions.

The first time Jesus announces that He is the bread of life, no one who heard it understood it as an allegory.

How do I know this? Their reaction – “How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?”  

Making it clear that they have it right, that this is no metaphor, Jesus doesn’t explain the symbolism (like He does with the parable of the sower).

Instead (in tomorrow’s Gospel), Jesus doubles down on what He said, on what they’re hanging up on. “Unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you.”

Making it clear that they understood Jesus to be speaking literally?

The way that people respond to Jesus doubling down - many of them quit following Jesus and leave.

That’s not how people respond to an allegory. Nobody leaves after Jesus explains the parable of the sower.

If you ever wondered why Catholics are so hung up on the Eucharist? Why we believe what we believe?

This is what’s behind it.

We’re just taking Jesus at His word. And then trying to live it.

That’s the formula for everything that’s right about our Faith. And something we cannot do enough.

Today’s Readings

[millionsknives]

genuinely these panels are going to make me ugly cry

[happypeachsludgeflower]

Why is the Jesus fandom blowing up my Pinterest feed??

[helloparkerrose]

[thoughtfulfoxllama]

"All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth" (D&C 89:14)

Also, let's not forget that Bread was held as sacred in almost every ancient culture. Part of this might be because it was the first artificial food (instead of just being killed & roasted, or plucked off a tree). Thus, it represents our Human Creativity

Idk why I need to connect everything to the Gospel, but that's how my mind works, and Tumblr is where I put my thoughts

"pasta only fills you up with empty calories" have you considered that it also fills me with love

[ichristian-news]

Surely I am with you always! 

Surely I am with you always!  by Octavius Winslow“And surely I am with you always, even to the very end of the world.” Matthew 28:20   Are you going through a sorrowful affliction?   What a Friend,    what a Brother,      what a Helper,        is Jesus!   Never–no never, does He leave His suffering child to travel that mournful night unvisited and unsoothed by His presence.   He is with you…

[rubberbandballqueen]

sign: 生命麵包加油站

brain: bread of fate pit stop

[scripture-pictures]

[tortoise-n33ds-purpose]

The Gospel According to Saint John (Douay-Rheims Version with annotations by Bishop Richard Challoner)

Chapter 6

Christ feeds five thousand with five loaves. He walks upon the sea and discourses of the bread of life.

 1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is that of Tiberias.  2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw the miracles which he did on them that were diseased.  3 Jesus therefore went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.  4 Now the pasch, the festival day of the Jews, was near at hand.  5 When Jesus therefore had lifted up his eyes, and seen that a very great multitude cometh to him, he said to Philip: Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

 6 And this he said to try him; for he himself knew what he would do.  7 Philip answered him: Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little.  8 One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, saith to him:  9 There is a boy here that hath five barley loaves, and two fishes; but what are these among so many?  10 Then Jesus said: Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. The men therefore sat down, in number about five thousand.

 11 And Jesus took the loaves: and when he had given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down. In like manner also of the fishes, as much as they would.  12 And when they were filled, he said to his disciples: Gather up the fragments that remain, lest they be lost.  13 They gathered up therefore, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above to them that had eaten.  14 Now those men, when they had seen what a miracle Jesus had done, said: This is of a truth the prophet, that is to come into the world.  15 Jesus therefore, when he knew that they would come to take him by force, and make him king, fled again into the mountain himself alone.

 16 And when evening was come, his disciples went down to the sea.  17 And when they had gone up into a ship, they went over the sea to Capharnaum; and it was now dark, and Jesus was not come unto them.  18 And the sea arose, by reason of a great wind that blew.  19 When they had rowed therefore about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking upon the sea, and drawing nigh to the ship, and they were afraid.  20 But he saith to them: It is I; be not afraid.

 21 They were willing therefore to take him into the ship; and presently the ship was at the land to which they were going.  22 The next day, the multitude that stood on the other side of the sea, saw that there was no other ship there but one, and that Jesus had not entered into the ship with his disciples, but that his disciples were gone away alone.  23 But other ships came in from Tiberias; nigh unto the place where they had eaten the bread, the Lord giving thanks.  24 When therefore the multitude saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they took shipping, and came to Capharnaum, seeking for Jesus.  25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him: Rabbi, when camest thou hither?

 26 Jesus answered them, and said: Amen, amen I say to you, you seek me, not because you have seen miracles, but because you did eat of the loaves, and were filled.  27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that which endureth unto life everlasting, which the Son of man will give you. For him hath God, the Father, sealed.  28 They said therefore unto him: What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?  29 Jesus answered, and said to them: This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he hath sent.  30 They said therefore to him: What sign therefore dost thou shew, that we may see, and may believe thee? What dost thou work?

 31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.  32 Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say to you; Moses gave you not bread from heaven, but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.  33 For the bread of God is that which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life to the world.  34 They said therefore unto him: Lord, give us always this bread.  35 And Jesus said to them: I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall not hunger: and he that believeth in me shall never thirst.

 36 But I said unto you, that you also have seen me, and you believe not.  37 All that the Father giveth to me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me, I will not cast out.  38 Because I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me.  39 Now this is the will of the Father who sent me: that of all that he hath given me, I should lose nothing; but should raise it up again in the last day.  40 And this is the will of my Father that sent me: that every one who seeth the Son, and believeth in him, may have life everlasting, and I will raise him up in the last day.

 41 The Jews therefore murmured at him, because he had said: I am the living bread which came down from heaven.  42 And they said: Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then saith he, I came down from heaven?  43 Jesus therefore answered, and said to them: Murmur not among yourselves.  44 No man can come to me, except the Father, who hath sent me, draw him; and I will raise him up in the last day.  45 It is written in the prophets: And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that hath heard of the Father, and hath learned, cometh to me.

[44] "Draw him": Not by compulsion, nor by laying the free will under any necessity, but by the strong and sweet motions of his heavenly grace.

 46 Not that any man hath seen the Father; but he who is of God, he hath seen the Father.  47 Amen, amen I say unto you: He that believeth in me, hath everlasting life.  48 I am the bread of life.  49 Your fathers did eat manna in the desert, and are dead.  50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven; that if any man eat of it, he may not die.

 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven.  52 If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give, is my flesh, for the life of the world.  53 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying: How can this man give us his flesh to eat?  54 Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say unto you: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you.  55 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day.

[54] "Eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood": To receive the body and blood of Christ, is a divine precept, insinuated in this text; which the faithful fulfil, though they receive but in one kind; because in one kind they receive both body and blood, which cannot be separated from each other. Hence, life eternal is here promised to the worthy receiving, though but in one kind. Ver. 52. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give, is my flesh for the life of the world. Ver. 58. He that eateth me, the same also shall live by me. Ver. 59. He that eateth this bread, shall live for ever.

 56 For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed.  57 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in him.  58 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me.  59 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead. He that eateth this bread, shall live for ever.  60 These things he said, teaching in the synagogue, in Capharnaum.

 61 Many therefore of his disciples, hearing it, said: This saying is hard, and who can hear it?  62 But Jesus, knowing in himself, that his disciples murmured at this, said to them: Doth this scandalize you?  63 If then you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?  64 It is the spirit that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I have spoken to you, are spirit and life.  65 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning, who they were that did not believe, and who he was, that would betray him.

[63] "If then you shall see": Christ by mentioning his ascension, by this instance of his power and divinity, would confirm the truth of what he had before asserted; and at the same time correct their gross apprehension of eating his flesh, and drinking his blood, in a vulgar and carnal manner, by letting them know he should take his whole body living with him to heaven; and consequently not suffer it to be as they supposed, divided, mangled, and consumed upon earth.

[64] "The flesh profiteth nothing": Dead flesh separated from the spirit, in the gross manner they supposed they were to eat his flesh, would profit nothing. Neither doth man's flesh, that is to say, man's natural and carnal apprehension, (which refuses to be subject to the spirit, and words of Christ,) profit any thing. But it would be the height of blasphemy, to say the living flesh of Christ (which we receive in the blessed sacrament, with his spirit, that is, with his soul and divinity) profiteth nothing. For if Christ's flesh had profited us nothing, he would never have taken flesh for us, nor died in the flesh for us.

[64] "Are spirit and life": By proposing to you a heavenly sacrament, in which you shall receive, in a wonderful manner, spirit, grace, and life, in its very fountain.

 66 And he said: Therefore did I say to you, that no man can come to me, unless it be given him by my Father.  67 After this many of his disciples went back; and walked no more with him.  68 Then Jesus said to the twelve: Will you also go away?  69 And Simon Peter answered him: Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.  70 And we have believed and have known, that thou art the Christ, the Son of God.

 71 Jesus answered them: Have not I chosen you twelve; and one of you is a devil?  72 Now he meant Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon: for this same was about to betray him, whereas he was one of the twelve.

The time when Jesus asked the disciples if they will leave Him and then Peter is like, "where would we go" lives rent free in my head and everytime I think about leaving the faith this verse keeps me here

[shawnpgreene]

Documentary Wins Top Honors for #GLCFF2024

ANNOUNCEMENT 🎉 Congratulations to the 2024 Great Lakes Christian Film Festival 1st Place Overall Winner! 🎉 We are thrilled to announce that the 1st Place Overall Film at this year’s festival is the extraordinary documentary feature “The Ark and the Darkness” from Sevenfold Films! Directed and written by Ralph Strean and produced by Dan Biddle, this compelling film captivated our audience and…

[momentsbeforemass]

Bread of life?

(by request, my homily from Corpus Christi)

Why are we so hung up on the Eucharist?

Why do we believe that the world’s most basic cracker (it’s just water and flour) becomes the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ during the Mass?

It starts with Sunday’s Gospel. It’s the heart of the Bread of Life Discourse. Where Jesus calls Himself the bread of life. Then explains what He means. By being completely literal.

A lot people say that this is all symbolic, even some Catholics. How do we know that Jesus is being literal about being the bread of life?

There are a lot of reasons. I’ll only give you three of them.

First, we know that Jesus is being literal because Jesus tells us that He is being literal.

Throughout John’s Gospel, 25 times to be exact, Jesus says, “Amen, amen, I say to you,” to signal that He is speaking directly and being literal. When He wants to be taken at face value.

You and I might say something like, “literally,” or “no, seriously.”

With “amen, amen,” Jesus is doubling down on the meaning. Just like when we say, “for real, for real.”

Which is why, in the Gospel we just heard, when Jesus explains what He means by calling Himself “the living bread that came down from heaven,” He starts His explanation with, “Amen, amen, I say to you.” To make it clear that He’s being literal.

Second, we know that Jesus is being literal because of the style that Jesus uses.

When Jesus wants us to understand something as a metaphor or a symbol, He uses a very specific style to tell us that there’s more going on than just the story He’s telling.

Think of the parable of the sower. It starts with, “A sower went out to sow some seed. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.”

Even before you get to the part where Jesus unpacks the meaning, the style Jesus uses tells us that this isn’t really about first century farming practices. The style tells us that the important part is the meaning behind the story. 

Contrast that with today’s Gospel. It starts with, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

You don’t need a degree in literature to hear the difference between “a sower went out to sow some seed” and “I am the bread of life.” One of them sounds like a fable – like, “Once upon a time.” The other is a simple, direct statement, mean to be taken at face value – like, “I am wearing shoes.”

Third, we know Jesus is being literal about being the bread of life by the way people reacted.

After the first part of today’s Gospel, where Jesus says, “I am the bread of life?” That made no sense to His Jewish audience. We see that in the Gospel, when they start asking, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”

Look how Jesus responds. He doesn’t say, “calm down, I don’t mean it literally, it’s just a figure of speech.”

No, Jesus doubles down on the literal meaning. He says, “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.”

If you read the rest of the chapter that comes after today’s Gospel, you find out that they knew Jesus was speaking literally when He doubled down on the whole “bread of life” thing. Why do I say that?

You know they took Him seriously, because they left. Jesus lost a lot of followers when He said, “no, I mean it.” A few verses after today’s Gospel, John tells us, “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.”

And it wasn’t just the Jewish audience who heard Jesus say it that took it literally. The Romans understood this literally as well.

To the point that – in the centuries before Christianity was legalized in the Roman Empire – one of the most common accusations made in Roman courts against Christians was that they practiced cannibalism.

Indeed, it wasn’t until the Protestant Reformation in the 1500’s that anyone seriously questioned whether Jesus was speaking literally here. That was something the early Protestants pushed – well, you know why.

Truth be told, you have to read this Gospel with your mind already made up (and ignore a lot of clues that are right there in the text) to think that Jesus is not speaking literally.

Of course, the great danger in reading today’s Gospel with an open mind is that you might discover the truth.

But how can the world’s most basic cracker be the Body of Christ? You’ve seen it before Mass and after the consecration – there’s no visible difference. It still looks like bread.

If I might translate that question into the thought behind it. When you and I say that, what we’re really saying is this –

I don’t understand it, therefore it can’t be true.

When you boil that statement down to its essence, it easy to see that it doesn’t work. Because it’s nonsense. Here’s what I mean,

Show of hands. How many of us can explain how an internal combustion engine works?

I’m afraid that “put in go-go juice, car go vroom, vroom” isn’t an explanation. So, I’ll have to put my hand down.

Okay, one more show of hands. How many of us got here in a car or truck with an internal combustion engine?

According to the standard of “I don’t understand it, therefore it can’t be true,” that could not have happened. And yet, here we are.

Which tells us what? That however much you and I think we know, there are things that are completely true that you and I do not understand.

Our collective lack of understanding? It has no impact on their truth.

Which is why the fact that you and I don’t fully understand how the Eucharist could be the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has no bearing on the fact that it is exactly that.

As with today’s Gospel, the great danger in approaching the Eucharist with an open mind is that you might discover the truth.

What is the truth? The truth is that the Eucharist is just what Jesus says it is – His Body and Blood, His Soul and Divinity, given for the salvation of the world.

Our Lord and Savior is really, intimately, physically, and personally present in the Eucharist.

Meaning that, in the Eucharist, you and I have the opportunity for the most intimate moment with God that is possible in this life. It’s a deepening of our relationship and connection with God. And a foretaste today, in this life, of the peace and joy and love of God that is waiting for you in eternity.

All that you have to do is approach the One who is waiting for you in the Sacrament with an open heart.

Of course, the great danger in approaching the Eucharist with an open heart is that you might discover the truth.

Sunday’s Readings

[afaithfulsower]

Jesus Christ: The Bread of Life

When the Israelites wandered the wilderness for 40 years, God provided for their many needs, but how are Christians fed today so that they neither hunger nor thirst? Click/Tap the link to read more.

So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you?  What will you do?  Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: “He gave them bread from heaven to eat. “Then Jesus declared I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:30-31; 35/NIV When we read in the Bible…

[happy2bmyownboss]

Starting Our Sabbath

So I’ve been talking about the Biblical Feasts and the Sabbath but have I actually been trying to put these things into action? Yes, we have. We don’t have a perfect routine yet but we are trying to make an intentional effort to include the Sabbath into our weeks as well as making plans to include the Biblical Feasts into our yearly plans… even though we aren’t quite sure how that will look…

[riverseinery]

I think they would be friends <3