Scripture for August 15, 2021 – 12th Sunday after Pentecost

Introduction

Wisdom prepares a feast, sets her table, and invites all to come and eat her bread and drink her wine. The first chapter of John’s gospel owes much to the biblical tradition that imagined Wisdom as existing before anything was created and having a role in the work of creation. Christ, the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24), today invites us to eat his flesh and drink his blood. John’s gospel includes no account of the institution of the Lord’s supper, but here we can’t help hearing Jesus’ words as an invitation to the meal of bread and wine we share.

Prayer of the Day

Ever-loving God, your Son gives himself as living bread for the life of the world. Fill us with such a knowledge of his presence that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life to serve you continually, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 9:1-6

1Wisdom has built her house, she has hewn her seven pillars. 2She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine, she has also set her table. 3She has sent out her servant-girls, she calls from the highest places in the town, 4“You that are simple, turn in here!” To those without sense she says, 5“Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. 6Lay aside immaturity, and live, and walk in the way of insight.”

Psalm 34:9-14

9Fear the Lord, you saints of the Lord, for those who fear the Lord lack nothing. 10The lions are in want and suffer hunger, but those who seek the Lord lack nothing that is good. 11Come, children, and listen to me; I will teach you reverence for the Lord. 12Who among you takes pleasure in life and desires long life to enjoy prosperity? 13Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from lying words. 14Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Ephesians 5:15-20

15Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, 16making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, 20giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

John 6:51:58

[Jesus said,] 51“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”


52The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; 55for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”

Theme for the Season of Pentecost (summer)

Bread for the Journey

God calls us to new life, to a new journey of faith. There was a miracle of manna in the wilderness when God’s people were making the difficult passage from bondage to freedom. When we are lost, God finds us and feeds us.

Jesus is the Bread of Life. We are called to follow his teachings and his example: caring for the least among us, healing the broken, and traveling our own journey of faith. When we gather to worship and listen, we are blessed with the feast prepared at his table.

The promised Holy Spirit comes to us, lives among us, and sustains us on our journey. There are obstacles on the path, and we sometimes find ourselves stumbling to our knees. That is where the Holy Spirit meets us, surrounding and filling us with love and grace.

God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, gives us bread for the journey. Whether it is a handful of trail mix or a miracle of loaves and fishes, we are filled and sustained so that our journey of faith can continue. May we share from our abundance, and share God’s blessing with all those we encounter along the way.