52 Sundays

Year B: Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Ex 16:2-4, 12-15

Ps 78:3-4, 23-24, 25, 54

Eph 4:17, 20-24

Jn 6:24-35

TAKE TIME TO CHAT

Throughout the Gospel of John, people have difficulty believing that Jesus is the Son of God sent by the Father. Why do some people have difficulty believing in Jesus?
What does Jesus mean when he says, “I am the bread of life”?
What does Jesus mean when he says that those who come to him will never hunger and never thirst? In what way is this phrase related to the story of the multiplication of the loaves from last week’s Gospel?

ACTIVITY

Backyard Olympics

Friendly competition teaches children about teamwork and how to be a gracious winner or loser. Before starting your backyard Olympics, consider holding an opening ceremony and ask Olympians to take an oath of good sportsmanship like athletes do at the Olympic Games.
Call some friends or relatives and invite them to join your family for some games to play in the yard or a local field. Consider creating paper medals for the events. Some event ideas include:

Running Long Jump: With a running start, see who can jump the farthest from a line marked on the ground.
Relay Race: Use a stick or baton to hand off between runners while they go on a designated path. If you don’t have enough runners for a race, have participants race to beat their own time.
No Water Synchronized Swimming: Have groups pick music and choreograph a short routine to see how in sync they can stay.
Balance Beam: Paint a straight, even stripe on a flat section of lawn, which is the "balance beam." Ask participants to perform a series of increasingly difficult maneuvers without straying from the stripe. Award points for completion of each maneuver. Some fun suggestions include: walking forward, walking backward, hopping on one foot, doing front rolls, doing cartwheels.
Hula-hoop-a-thon: Kids keep their hoops moving as long as possible and are eliminated when their hoops touch the ground.
Discus: See who can throw a frisbee the farthest distance.
Water Balloon Shot Put: See who can throw a water balloon the farthest distance.
Pool Noodle Javelin: Each child gets three attempts to see who can throw his or her pool noodle the farthest.

PRAYER

Jesus, the Bread of Life

Father in heaven,
you have made us for yourself;
our hearts are restless until they rest in you.
Fulfill this longing through Jesus, the Bread of Life,
so that we may witness to him
who alone satisfies the hungers of the human family.
By the power of your Spirit
lead us to the heavenly table
where we may feast on the vision of your glory
for ever and ever.
Amen.

LITURGY LINK

During the Preparation of the Gifts, the gifts of bread and wine, are brought to the altar in procession. The priest then prepares the bread and wine before the Eucharistic Prayer. Watch to see what he does to prepare the gifts.

FAMILY CHALLENGE

Invite someone

over to your home for dinner with whom you have lost touch or someone who has

recently experienced loss.

St. John Vianney (August 4)

John Vianney wanted to become a priest. But he had to overcome his meager formal schooling, which inadequately prepared him for seminary studies. His failure to comprehend Latin lectures forced him to...

Read Biography

Baked Parmesan Chicken

3 lbs. bone-in chicken thighs 1 cup of breadcrumbs 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese garlic salt to taste pepper to taste paprika to taste Preheat ove...

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Year B: Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

St. John Vianney (August 4)

Take Time to Chat

Baked Parmesan Chicken