Bon appetit!

Verse for the week:  How great is your goodness, O Lord…which you have done in the sight of all who put their trust in you.  Psalm 31.19

Prayer for the week: “Merciful God, you resist the proud but give grace to the humble.  Help us to trust you utterly, to rest our hope and confidence in you, and to serve you with pure hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen” (K.B. Ritter, Gebete fur das jahr der Kirche, 2^nd  ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948, p. 193). 

Bible reading for the day:  John 6.51-59 (note: The story continues. The sign of the feeding of the 5,000 points beyond itself to something much greater than just our fill of the loaves.)

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

⁵² The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” ⁵³ So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. ⁵⁵ For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. ⁵⁶ Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. ⁵⁷ As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” ⁵⁹ Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.

Prayer (based on T.R.I.P. method*): Gracious and almighty Father, we’ve had enough of ourselves.  We’re full of ourselves and yet starving to death.  So, give us now the one who is true food and true drink: Jesus Christ crucified and raised for our forgiveness and freedom.  And right while you’re at it, change me and your whole church, Lord: create in us a new and right appetite for you and your will…because in the end YOU taste far better and last far longer than superstition or anything we can cook up in our in the kitchen of our pride.  I ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.

Hymn: follow this link to a beloved, classic hymn that gives further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAigUNye_jI

“What is Holy Communion?”  It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, given to us Christians to eat and drink, as it was instituted by Christ himself.

What is the benefit of such eating and drinking?

It is pointed out in these words: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” Through these words the forgiveness of sin, life, and salvation are given to us in the Sacrament, for where there is forgiveness of sin, there is also life and salvation. (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther)

Benediction:  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all.  Amen.  II Cor 13.14

  

*The T.R.I.P. approach to prayer is based on the way Martin Luther prayed and taught others to pray.  It was later developed by Walter and Ingrid Trobisch and then adapted by Mount Carmel Ministries (Alexandria, MN).  The method is founded on scripture and easy to remember:
T: thanksgiving
R: regret (repentance)
I: intercession (asking God to take a specific action)
P: plan or purpose
Reading a biblical text and then applying this method gives one a sound, simple way to form one’s prayers...not to mention that it helps one learn how to faithfully reflect on God’s Word and talk to God.