--- title: Daily Readings Reflection for 8/23/09 description: Daily Readings Reflection for 8/23/09 --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2009/08/23/daily-readings-reflection-for-82309#) # Daily Readings Reflection for 8/23/09 Aug 23, 2009 10:00:40 AM  |  by [Guest](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/guest) Reflection on the Daily Readings for 8/23/09 by Fr. Bertrand Buby, SM [Today’s Readings](http://www.usccb.org/nab/) Scripture for Sunday B Cycle (21st): Joshua 24:1-2, 15-17. Psalm 34:2-3.16-17.18-19.20--21. 22-23. Ephesians 5:21-32. John 6:60-69: Lectionary # 123: Decision making is one of the characteristics of John's Gospel. We are being led, even pushed in some passages, to make a decision to have total trust in the person of Jesus. Today we have the final part of the Eucharist chapter and we see that many cannot accept the difficult saying of Jesus about his flesh and blood being their food and drink. He is the Bread of Life and his wisdom has spoken of this since the multiplication of the loaves and the fish, then through the discourses on the Bread of Life. We reach the climax and see that only a few can make the decision to continue to follow Jesus despite the realism of the Eucharist. This is the only time John mentions the twelve (apostles-disciples) in his Gospel. Jesus puts the question to them, " Will you also leave me?" Peter is their spokesperson and he declares, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe that you are God's holy one." Without Jesus they would be totally lost and alone; with him they are being led to see the cost of discipleship and the promise of eternal life if they are faithful to their call. They like us need the words of Jesus and his presence in the Eucharist in the bread and wine. We need to affirm what they did and deepen both our love and our faith in Jesus as the Son of God and the Bread of Life. The sacrament helps us to do this and Aquinas tells us that the sacraments are meant for us not for angels hence they do have concreteness or reality about them and the words which give the sacraments their divinely intended meaning. We too need to decide to remain within the context of the sacraments and the church. What we put into the Mass is what we will get out of it. It does not depend on the celebrant to do this for us; we have to make the Eucharist meaningful in our lives through careful preparation and through a deepening of our faith and our love. Devotion to the Eucharist is the way to deepen our belief. Our faith needs to be active and alive and coming from our heart not from our mental makeup or attitude. This Sunday could be prepared for by a slow reading of all of chapter six of John's Gospel. This is the fullest development of the theme of the flesh and blood of Jesus as Bread of Life and as the Vine. We want to be part of the intimate circle of the twelve who on this occasion professed their trust and love for Jesus through St. Peter. As our Psalm Response says, "Taste and see the goodness of the Lord." Sacraments touch our senses and tasting is not excluded. 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