Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-53) - The Eucharist and the Priesthood

Dearest Goddaughter,

Today's Gospel, in which Jesus fed 4,000 people reminded me of this "Prayer for Vocations" that the Diocese of Austin distributed.. It starts like this: "Jesus our Savior, your Sacred Heart felt compassion where you looked upon the crowd and saw that they were like sheep without a shepherd. . ." In today Gospel, Jesus said: "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd. . ."

Jesus instituted the priesthood at the Last Supper so that we may have the Eucharist - the Bread of Life - to nourish and strengthen us in our journey in life. However, without priests, there is no Eucharist. We must pray for vocations to the priesthood, that the Holy Spirit opens the "hearts of my brothers and sisters to your will and raise up abundant faithful servants of the Gospel - devoted and holy priests, sisters, and brothers who will spend themselves for your people in the Diocese of Austin."

The prayer concludes with "May none of your flock, won at the price of your blood, be without a shepherd to guide them. . ." We must pray for parents to foster vocations in their domestic church. When parents are faithful to Jesus Christ and his Bride - the Church - they will raise children who are also faithful to Jesus Christ and desire to serve his Church. 

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: 1 Kgs 12:26-32; 13:33-34 and Mk 8:1-10 (below).

. . .

In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything to eat,

Jesus summoned the disciples and said,

“My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,

because they have been with me now for three days

and have nothing to eat.

If I send them away hungry to their homes,

they will collapse on the way,

and some of them have come a great distance.”

His disciples answered him, “Where can anyone get enough bread

to satisfy them here in this deserted place?”

Still he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?”

They replied, “Seven.”

He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground.

Then, taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them,

and gave them to his disciples to distribute,

and they distributed them to the crowd.

They also had a few fish.

He said the blessing over them

and ordered them distributed also.

They ate and were satisfied.

They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets.

There were about four thousand people.

He dismissed the crowd and got into the boat with his disciples

and came to the region of Dalmanutha.