The Liturgy Podcast from Spirit & Song

Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go?" Jesus concludes his teaching on the Bread of Life by calling us to faith. How do we respond?

"I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever." We might be more concerned on the here and now, but Jesus is focused on the eternal.

"Let us all rejoice in the Lord, as we celebrate the feast day in honor of the Virgin Mary." The Assumption of Mary teaches us that if we are open to the Holy Spirit, God will do great things through us. With Mary, we will share in the risen glory of her Son.

"Glorious things are spoken of you, O Mary, who today were exalted above the choirs of Angels into eternal triumph with Christ." Through her Assumption, Mary shares in the Easter victory of her Son.

"Taste and see the goodness of the Lord." The Eucharist is Jesus' own life, given freely on the Cross so that we would share in his eternal life.

"The Lord gave them bread from heaven." Jesus is the Bread of Life.

"The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs." In the miraculous feeding of the five thousand, Jesus revealed the loving, caring and lavish generosity of God.

"Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest awhile..." Without prayer, our ministry runs the risk of being self-serving. We need time alone with Jesus. Listen to him!

"In him we were chosen so that we might exist for the praise of his glory." We are called to bring the Good News of Jesus to all. We cannot do this alone; we minister only within community - "two by two."

"He was not able to perform any mighty deed there. He was amazed by their lack of faith." Jesus knows rejection and understands our discouragement. May our faith be strong so that we, too, may accept rejection and rise with him to healing and new life.

"Do not be afraid; just have faith." God often does not answer prayers in the way WE want them answered. We need to trust God's wisdom and mercy.

"He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Quiet! Be still!' The wind ceased and there was great calm." We need to remember who is in the boat with us! Jesus has the power to calm our storms.

"The kingdom of God... is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth." The growth of God's kingdom begins with the tiniest seed: a small act of love.

"Whoever does the will of God is brother and sister and mother to me." Today's Gospel is about the bond of being a disciple of Jesus Christ.

"I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord." The Eucharist is Jesus' promise of eternal life, a covenant with us that was ratified by his blood.

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit..." Since we are created in God's image, every relationship of ours is an opportunity to reflect the divine love of the Most Holy Trinity.

"The Spirit of the Lord has filled the whole world . . ." The Holy Spirit takes us as we are and empowers us to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.

"The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Spirit of God dwelling within us." The Pentecost Vigil calls us to wait in hope for the Holy Spirit to renew our world.

"Father, I pray that they may be one as we also are one." We join Jesus in prayer as we await the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." At his Ascension, Jesus commissioned his disciples to go out and evangelize the world.

"As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love." A genuinely loving relationship is an encounter with God, for God is love.

"Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us." Easter joy! We are one with Jesus.

"The Good Shepherd has risen, who laid down his life for his sheep and willingly died for his flock, alleluia." Our Easter joy is revealed in the love of Jesus our shepherd.

"The Christ had to suffer and on the third day rise from the dead; in his name repentance and remission of sins must be preached to all the nations." Easter is a call to action for us to give witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

"Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." Divine Mercy reminds us that our love for God is a call to love one another.