food and love
"He pitied them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them at great length." —Mark 6:34
The main responsibility of a shepherd is to feed his sheep. Jesus the Good Shepherd is preoccupied with feeding His sheep. He Himself went without food (Mk 6:31) to feed His sheep by teaching them at great length. The way Jesus wants us to show our love for Him is by feeding His sheep (Jn 21:17).
We need both physical and spiritual feeding, but the most important is spiritual. We are fed spiritually in two ways: Holy Communion and God's word. Jesus said: "My flesh is real food" (Jn 6:55) and "Not on bread alone is man to live but on every utterance that comes from the mouth of God" (Mt 4:4).
This booklet, One Bread, One Body, is intended to feed the sheep in these two ways. We teach the Scripture readings for the daily Eucharist to encourage all our readers to read the Bible and to go to Mass and Holy Communion daily. We feed the sheep in this way because we love the sheep, and especially we love the Shepherd.
Prayer: Jesus, by Your Spirit, may I lose my appetite for the things of this world and desire You, the Bread of life (Jn 6:35).
Promise: "In Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near through the blood of Christ." —Eph 2:13
Praise: "Praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His majesty is above earth and heaven" (Ps 148:13).
Reference: (Presentation Ministries offers Discipleship Retreats throughout the year on various topics. For a list of upcoming retreats, check our website, www.presentationministries.com. Our retreats equip you to imitate Christ in His character and mission. The cost is a free-will donation.)
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, January 5, 2009
The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.