Tuesday, May 7

Today’s Prayer and Reflection:

He gave them bread from heaven to eat. (John 6:31)

These words, spoken by the people who had just witnessed Jesus miraculously multiply loaves and fish, contained a challenge in them. “What sign can you do?” they asked (John 6:30). Can you top Moses, who gave our ancestors manna from above? He fed us during our journey to the Promised Land.

We all know the answer: of course Jesus can “outperform” Moses! As he told the people, he himself is “the bread of life” (John 6:35). He is the One who came down to redeem us and to sustain us on our journey toward his heavenly home.

Both Jesus and Moses offered their people a glimpse of all the good things they were journeying toward. We might say that Moses reached into the Promised Land and brought back to the people a taste of the kind of abundance they were hoping for: “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:17). Jesus, too reached into the Promised Land of heaven and brought back to the people of his day a taste of the abundance awaiting them: heavenly bread that “gives life to the world” (John 6:33).

But it’s not just Jesus who can reach into heaven. In his resurrection, he has opened heaven’s gates for us. Now every person on this earth can reach in and receive the Bread of Life.

There are many ways we can touch heaven while on earth: through prayer, Scripture reading, caring for the poor, offering forgiveness, and loving our families. But the most powerful and the most important way we can reach into heaven is by receiving Jesus himself, the true Bread of Life, at Mass.

Like the manna in the wilderness, this heavenly bread can nourish us on our journey through our own wilderness. Our nourishment doesn’t come because the Eucharist contains some magical power, but because it is Jesus himself, Body and Blood, soul and divinity. His love, his life, his mercy, his joy, his grace—all of it is available to everyone who eats and drinks in faith. As author Scott Hahn wrote in The Lamb’s Supper, “When we begin to see that heaven awaits us in the Mass, we begin already to bring our home to heaven. And we begin already to bring heaven home with us.”

“Jesus, true Bread from heaven, I am reaching out to you!”

Reprinted with permission of The Word Among Us, 7115 Guilford Dr #100, Frederick, MD 21704, wau.org.

Today’s Announcements:

• Happy birthday to Abigail O’Connell!
• Yearbooks will be distributed today during lunch for those that prepaid. All students that did not prepay for a yearbook may purchase a yearbook starting tomorrow morning by purchasing one in the office before school, during lunch, or after school. The price of the yearbook is $100.
• Coastal Civitan Camp is seeking male counselor volunteers; if interested please see Mrs. Collier in the front office for more information.
• There will be an Interact Club meeting Wednesday after school in Ms. Lawson’s room. Those who want to run for office may sign up at that time. Signups to work the Children’s Health Fair will also take place at that time.
• The women’s track team took the 2A State Track Championship with a 118 point performance, the men finished with 24 points and placed 11th out of 25 teams, event results will be forthcoming in Wednesday’s announcements! Also, Coach Dellenger is asking that all members who participated in the State Track Meet, please be at the stadium by 3:55 to be recognized before the Nativity Track Meet.
• On May 18 at 8:30 a.m., Bienville Orthopaedics will provide St. Patrick students in grades 9-12 free physicals. Any students interested in participating should pick up a physical form from Mrs. Collier’s desk. Students must ride the bus to and from the Bienville offices. The bus will depart the St. Patrick stadium parking lot at 8:15 sharp.