28 Jul 2012

29th July 2012 - 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) - Emmanuel Community

On this weeks programme, we are joined once again by Geraldine Creaton from the Emmanuel Community who tells us about what the community is doing internationally, nationally but also locally here in Limerick. We have our regular reflection on this weeks gospel as well as saints of the week and some local notices.

This weeks podcast is available HERE.
 
The Emmanuel Community
 
On this morning’s programme we are re-introduced to the Emmanuel Community by Geraldine Creaton. The Emmanuel Community is present in Ireland, and in fifty six countries around the world, and on every continent. The Emmanuel Community was founded in France in 1972 by the Servant of God Pierre Goursat and Martine Lafitte-Catta.

The mission of the Community is to reveal to every man and woman the presence of the God of Love in our lives, Jesus Christ, who is “Emmanuel”, ”God With Us”, and wants to be close to us.
The Community consists of members with different states of life (families, singles, priests and celibate brothers and sisters) having the most different professions and trying to live a fraternal life in the world. It sees its aim as to respond to God's call to holiness addressed to each person, mainly through intense personal prayer, Eucharistic adoration, compassion for the spiritually and materially poor and evangelization. Members are helped to grow spiritually in various ways: "household meetings" (small groups of members, meeting regularly for prayer and reflection on God's action in their lives), "spiritual companionship" (personal meeting with a more experienced member), monthly meetings of all the members in a country or region.

Geraldine talks to us about the work of the community and how people become involved and members of the community especially their work during the International Eucharistic Congress 2012 and also in Limerick Diocese.
Geraldine's interview is extracted from this mornings podcast HERE.


Gospel - John 6:1-15



We return to the gospel of John this week and it is the first in a series of readings from chapter 6 in John's gospel which will be reading and reflecting over the next five weeks. The chapter is a Eucharistic centred section of John's gospel with the focus being on Jesus declaration of self identity "I am the Bread of Life".

We met Jesus sitting on the mountain - once again John presents Jesus in the teaching role, seated with the people drawing close to him looking for guidance and truth. It echos last weeks reading from Mark where Jesus looked on the crowd and had compassion and began teaching them. Looking to our own lives, it is a reminder that God is always there waiting for us; waiting to welcome us back no matter what. Like the father of the prodigal son, he is never going to cut us off; it is us who cut ourselves from God. Are we feeling lost, alone, looking for direction? Do we make time and space to encounter Jesus and hear what he wants to say to us.

The miracle of the feeding of the multitude with five barley loaves and two fish is a reminder of the generosity of God and the need for us to gather and support each other in community. Those that are prepared to put their trust in God no matter how little, will receive it back a thousand fold. Like the miracle of Cana, the miracle expresses the exuberant generosity of God. Are we open to the working out of that grace in our lives? But also are we open to the small things in life like God is; or do we focus too much on the "important" things?

The use of the barley loaves - which were the bread of the poor - reminds us that no matter how "lowly" the world sees and categorises things; God sees and loves them for their intrinsic work and that God's grace can transform every and any situation f we are open to allowing God's grace to work in us.

Other reflections on this weeks gospel:

Word on Fire
Sunday Reflections
Blue Eyed Ennis and here
Centre for Liturgy
English Dominicans

Liturgical odds and ends

Popes Intentions for the month of August:

General Intention - Prisoners: That prisoners may be treated with justice and respect for their human dignity.

Mission Intention - Youth witness to Christ: That young people, called to follow Christ, may be willing to proclaim and bear witness to the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

Divine Office: Psalter Week 1

Saints of the Week

July 30th - St Peter Chrysologus
July 31st - St Ignatius of Loyola (founder of the Jesuits)
August 1st - St Alphonsus Ligouri (founder of the Redemptorists)
August 2nd - St Peter Julian Eymard
August 3rd - Bl Philip Powell - (First Friday of the month)
August 4th - St John Vianney

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