Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from the Gospel
of John, Chapter 6, and the Gospel of Matthew,
Chapter 14. John, Chapter 6. After these things,
Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is
the Sea of Tiberias. Then a great multitude followed
him, because they saw his signs which he performed
on those who were diseased. And Jesus went up
on the mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.
Then Jesus lifted up his eyes, and seeing a great
multitude coming toward him, he said to Philip,
Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
But this he said to test him, for he himself
knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two
hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient
for them, that every one of them may have a little.
One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother,
said to him, There is a lad here who has five
barley loaves and two small fish, but what are
they among so many? Then Jesus said, Make the
people sit down. Now there was much grass in
the place, so the men sat down in number about
five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and
when he had given thanks, he distributed them
to the disciples, and the disciples to those
sitting down. and likewise of the fish, as much
as they wanted. So when they were filled, he
said to his disciples, Gather up the fragments
that remain, so that nothing is lost. Therefore
they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets
with the fragments of the five barley loaves,
which were left over by those who had eaten.
Then those men, when they had seen the sign that
Jesus did, said, This is truly the prophet who
is to come into the world. Therefore, when Jesus
perceived that they were about to come and take
him by force to make him king, he departed again
to the mountain by himself alone. Now when evening
came, his disciples went down to the sea, got
into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum,
and it was already dark. And Jesus had not come
to them. Then the sea arose, because a great
wind was blowing. So when they had rowed about
three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on
the sea and drawing near the boat, and they were
afraid. But he said to them, It is I, do not
be afraid. Then they willingly received him into
the boat, and immediately the boat was at the
land where they were going. On the following
day, when the people, who were standing on the
other side of the sea, saw that there was no
other boat there, except that one which his disciples
had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the
boat with his disciples, but his disciples had
gone away alone. However, other boats came from
Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread
after the Lord had given thanks. When the people
therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor his
disciples, they also got into boats and came
to Capernaum seeking Jesus. And when they found
him on the other side of the sea, they said to
him, Rabbi, when did you come here? Jesus answered
them and said, Most assuredly I say to you, you
seek me not because you saw the signs, but because
you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not
labor for the food which perishes, but for the
food which endures to everlasting life, which
the Son of Man will give you, because God the
Father has set his seal on him. Then they said
to him, What shall we do that we may work the
works of God? Jesus answered and said to them,
This is the work of God, that you believe in
him. whom he sent. Therefore they said to him,
What sign will you perform then, that we may
see it and believe you? What work will you do?
Our fathers ate the men in the desert, as it
is written, He gave them bread from heaven to
eat. Then Jesus said to them, Most assuredly
I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread
from heaven, but my Father gives you the true
bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he
who comes down from heaven and gives life to
the world. Then they said to him, Lord, give
us this bread always. And Jesus said to them,
I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall
never hunger, and he who believes in me shall
never thirst. But I said to you that you have
seen me and yet do not believe. All that the
Father gives me will come to me, and the one
who comes to me I will by no means cast out.
For I have come down from heaven not to do my
own will, but the will of him who sent me. This
is the will of the Father who sent me, that of
all he has given me I should lose nothing, but
should raise it up at the last day. And this
is the will of him who sent me, that everyone
who sees the Son and believes in him may have
everlasting life. And I will raise him up at
the last day. The Jews then complained about
him, because he said, I am the bread which came
down from heaven. And they said, Is not this
Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother
we know? How is it then that he says, I have
come down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered
and said to them, Do not murmur among yourselves.
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent
me draws him, and I will raise him up at the
last day. it is written in the prophets and they
shall all be taught by god therefore everyone
who has heard and learned from the father comes
to me not that anyone has seen the father except
he who is from god he has seen the father most
assuredly i say to you he who believes in me
has everlasting life i am the bread of life your
fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and are
dead this is the bread which comes down from
heaven that one may eat of it and not die. I
am the living bread which came down from heaven.
If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.
And the bread that I shall give is my flesh,
which I shall give for the life of the world.
The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves,
saying, How can this man give us his flesh to
eat? Then Jesus said to them, Most assuredly
I say to you, Unless you eat the flesh of the
Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life
in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life, and I will raise him up at
the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and
my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh
and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him.
As the living Father sent me, and I live because
of the Father, so he who feeds on me will live
because of me. This is the bread which came down
from heaven, not as your fathers ate the manna
and are dead. He who eats this bread will live
forever. These things he said in the synagogue
as he taught in Capernaum. Therefore many of
his disciples, when they heard this, said, This
is a hard saying. Who can understand it? When
Jesus knew in himself that his disciples complained
about this, he said to them, Does this offend
you? What then, if you should see the Son of
Man ascend where he was before? It is the Spirit
who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The
words that I speak to you are spirit and they
are life. But there are some of you who do not
believe. For Jesus knew from the beginning who
they were who did not believe and who would betray
him. And he said, Therefore I have said to you
that no one can come to me unless it has been
granted to him by my Father. From that time many
of his disciples went back and walked with him
no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, Do you
also want to go away? But Simon Peter answered
him, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the
words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe
and know that you are the Christ, the Son of
the living God. Jesus answered them, Did I not
choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?
He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon,
for it was he who would betray him, being one
of the twelve. At that time, Herod the Tetrarch
heard the report about Jesus and said to his
servants, This is John the Baptist. He is risen
from the dead, and therefore these powers are
at work in him. For Herod had laid hold of John
and bound him and put him in prison for the sake
of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because
John had said to him, It is not lawful for you
to have her. And although he wanted to put him
to death, he feared the multitude because they
counted him as a prophet. But when Herod's birthday
was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced
before them and pleased Herod. Therefore he promised
with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.
So she, having been prompted by her mother, said,
Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter.
And the king was sorry. Nevertheless, because
of the oath and because of those who sat with
him, he commanded it to be given to her. So he
sent and had John beheaded in prison. And his
head was brought on a platter and given to the
girl, and she brought it to her mother. Then
his disciples came and took away the body and
buried it, and went and told Jesus. When Jesus
heard it, he departed from there by boat to a
deserted place by himself. But when the multitudes
heard it, they followed him on foot from the
cities. And when Jesus went out, he saw a great
multitude, and he was moved with compassion for
them, and healed their sick. When it was evening,
his disciples came to him, saying, This is a
deserted place, and the hour is already late.
Send the multitudes away, that they may go into
the villages and buy themselves food. But Jesus
said to them, They do not need to go away. You
give them something to eat. And they said to
him, We have only five loaves and two fish. He
said, Bring them here to me. Then he commanded
the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And
he took the five loaves and the two fish. And
looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke and
gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples
gave to the multitudes. So they all ate and were
filled, and they took up twelve baskets full
of the fragments that remained. Now those who
had eaten were about five thousand men, besides
women and children. Immediately Jesus made his
disciples get into the boat and go before him
to the other side, while he sent the multitudes
away. And when he had sent the multitudes away,
he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
Now when evening came, he was alone there. But
the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed
by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now
in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went
to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples
saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled,
saying, It is a ghost. And they cried out for
fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying,
Be of good cheer. It is I, do not be afraid.
And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it
is you, command me to come to you on the water.
So he said, Come. And when Peter had come down
out of the boat, he walked on the water to go
to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous,
he was afraid. And beginning to sink, he cried
out, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus
stretched out his hand and caught him and said
to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt?
And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
Then those who were in the boat came and worshipped
him, saying, Truly, you are the Son of God. When
they had crossed over, they came to the land
of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place
recognized him, they sent out into all the surrounding
region, brought to him all who were sick, and
begged him that they might only touch the hem
of his garment. And as many as touched it were
made perfectly well. I hope you enjoyed today's
reading as much as I did and I look forward to
seeing you again tomorrow to continue on our
journey. God bless you and have a great day.