DOCTRINE OUTLINECATECHISM THEMES ECHOING GOD'S WORDCHILDREN'S LESSON
17th Sunday of Year B
CENTRAL IDEA
SELF GIVING
By Kevin Aldrich
Overview of
Doctrinal Homily
Outlines
Kevin Aldrich
Written as an aid for homilists and a resource for the faithful, this doctrinal homily outline (1) provides insights into the Lectionary readings, (2) explicates a doctrine of Catholic Faith or morals from them, and (3) shows specific ways lay persons can live these truths.
First Reading
- Elisha made the food a man gave him enough to feed a hundred people. Jesus made the food a boy gave him enough to feed five thousand.
Responsorial Psalm
- This psalm is really a prayer of thanksgiving for the God-given ecology, which gives us physical life and sustenance.
- But this “natural” giving is not enough, because there is still poverty, sickness, floods, drought, and many other natural evils. So we rightly call upon the Lord for the help that we need.
Second Reading
- All human beings by nature are social and interdependent. Therefore, we have an obligation to help each other out.
Gospel
- This miracle of the loaves and fish prefigures the Eucharist. “The miracles of the multiplication of the loaves, when the Lord says the blessing, breaks and distributes the loaves through his disciples to feed the multitude, prefigure the superabundance of this unique bread of his Eucharist” (CCC 1335).
DOCTRINE
THE EXCHANGE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS IN THE COMMUNION OF THE CHURCH
It is primarily the Eucharist that brings this communion about.” (CCC 950)
Along with this unity, there is great diversity within the Church due to “the variety of God’s gifts and the diversity of those who receive them” (CCC 814). This diversity is a very good thing, since everyone’s individual good is meant to be a gift to benefit everyone else.
Some aspects of this communion are:
Communion in the faith….
Communion of the sacraments.…
Communion of charisms…
Communion of goods…
Communion in charity…
Communion among the three states within the Church of heaven, purgatory, and earth…
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
WAYS TO LIVE THE COMMUNION OF THE CHURCH
“All the saved form one family” and we share solidarity with all men. (CCC 956-959)
At Mass each Sunday, we can be mindful of what unites us with the communion of saints: we repent of our only enemy: sin; we make our profession of faith together; and then, through the actions of the priest ordained through apostolic succession, receive Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist along with an influx of his charity.
We can be friends with each person of the Blessed Trinity, our guardian angels,…
17th Sunday of Year B
The miracle of the loaves and fishes prefigures the Eucharist
Why the Catholic Church is the one true church founded by Jesus Christ.
FOCUS TV (2:06) – Bishop Robert Barron shares all the beautiful things about the Catholic church he loves and wants to show to the whole world.
Generosity: The Greatest Spiritual Gift
ASCENSION PRESENTS (5:08) – In Matthew 17:20, Jesus tells us if we have faith as small as a mustard seed we could move mountains. The problem is most of us don’t put our faith to use. In this video, Fr. Mike invites us to make use of the gifts God has already given us. In doing so, we may become so overjoyed by our natural gifts that we can’t help but share them with others.
Catechism Themes
“The following paragraphs from the Catechism of the Catholic Church resonate with the biblical readings for this Sunday. They were chosen either because they cite or allude to the specific readings, or because they treat topics found in the readings.” —Homiletic Directory
JULY 2021
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 1335: the miracle of the loaves and fishes prefigures the Eucharist
CCC 814-815, 949-959: sharing of gifts in the communion of the Church
AUGUST 2021
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 1333-1336: Eucharistic signs of bread and wine
CCC 1691-1696: life in Christ
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 1341-1344: “Do this in memory of me”
CCC 1384-1390: take and eat: Communion
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 1402-1405: the Eucharist, pledge of future glory
CCC 2828-2837: the Eucharist is our daily bread
CCC 1336: scandal
Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 796: the Church as the Bride of Christ
CCC 1061-1065: God’s utter fidelity and love
CCC 1612-1617, 2360-2365: marriage in the Lord
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 577-582: Christ and the Law
CCC 1961-1974: the Old Law and the Gospel
SEPTEMBER 2021
Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 1503-1505: Christ the Physician
CCC 1151-1152: signs used by Christ; sacramental signs
CCC 270-271: the mercy of God
Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 713-716: the path of the Messiah traced out in the “Servant Songs”
CCC 440, 571-572, 601: Jesus suffered and died for our salvation
CCC 618: our participation in Christ’s sacrifice
CCC 2044-2046: good works manifest faith
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 539, 565, 600-605, 713: Christ, obedient Servant of God
CCC 786: to serve is to reign
CCC 1547, 1551: priestly ministry as service
CCC 2538-2540: the sin of envy
CCC 2302-2306: safeguarding peace
Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 821, 1126, 1636: ecumenical dialogue
CCC 2445-2446, 2536, 2544-2547: the danger of immoderate riches
CCC 1852: jealousy
OCTOBER 2021
Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 1602-1617, 1643-1651, 2331-2336: conjugal fidelity
CCC 2331-2336: divorce
CCC 1832: fidelity, a fruit of Spirit
CCC 2044, 2147, 2156, 2223, 2787: the fidelity of the baptized
Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 101-104: Christ, unique Word of Scripture
CCC 131-133: Scripture in life of the Church
CCC 2653-2654: Scripture as a fountain of prayer
CCC 1723, 2536, 2444-2447: poverty of heart
Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 599-609: Christ’s redemptive death in the plan of salvation
CCC 520: Christ’s self-emptying as an example for us to imitate
CCC 467, 540, 1137: Christ the High Priest
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 547-550: Jesus performed messianic signs
CCC 1814-1816: faith, a gift of God
CCC 2734-2737: filial confidence in prayer
Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 2083: commandments as a call for a response of love
CCC 2052, 2093-2094: the first commandment
CCC 1539-1547: holy orders in the economy of salvation
NOVEMBER 2021
Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 519-521: Christ gave his life for us
CCC 2544-2547: poverty of heart
CCC 1434, 1438, 1753, 1969, 2447: almsgiving
CCC 2581-2584: Elijah and conversion of heart
CCC 1021-1022: the particular judgment
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 1038-1050: the Last Judgment; hope of a new heaven and a new earth
CCC 613-614, 1365-1367: Christ’s one perfect sacrifice and the Eucharist
Solemnity of Christ the King: Christ the origin and goal of history
CCC 440, 446-451, 668-672, 783, 786, 908, 2105, 2628: Christ as Lord and King
CCC 678-679, 1001, 1038-1041: Christ as Judge
CCC 2816-2821: “Thy Kingdom Come”
17th Sunday of Year B
Catholic Dogma
by Rev. Clement D. Thibodeau
How often do we hesitate to use the word DOGMA when we talk about our faith? As if DOGMA were an evil word? DOGMA just means Catholic doctrine! We proclaim our faith at Mass when we speak the Creed: The Nicene Creed or the Apostles’ Creed.
Whenever I celebrate a baptism for a child, I always tell the assembly that it is not just magic words when we say the creed or answer AMEN after each question: Do you believe in God, the Father? Do you believe in God, the Son? Do you believe in the Holy Spirit? Do you believe in the “one, holy, and apostolic Church? Do we realize that the Church we profess is the one, universal Church, founded by Jesus Christ to continue his work on earth after Ascension?
That is our faith – the faith we must impart to the child being baptized. Not just magic words!
Questions for Discussion
1. Where do we get what we have to eat? What about food for the body? What about food for the soul? Does it not all come from God? Have we been filled with what God has given us?
2. What do we have to share with others around us? What do we have to give to others, such as family and neighbors? Do we make it clear that what we give has been given to us by God in the first place?
3. Do we realize that Jesus is the Prophet who had to come into our world? That Jesus is the very Son of God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity? Do we worship Jesus Christ even as we eat the food that God has given us? Is the Eucharist our daily bread and our daily drink?
Prayer
Blessed the Lord, O my Soul!
Blessed be the Name of the Lord!
Blest is the family God has given us
SOURCE: @2017 Portland Diocese; Used with permission. Photo/Video at top of page is not part of original.
17th Sunday of Year B
THE COMING HOME NETWORK INTERNATIONAL (2:43) – Why should Christians work and pray for unity? Dr. Peter Kreeft reminds us that this mandate comes from Jesus himself, who prayed in John 17 that all Christians would be one, just as He and the Father are one. Dr. Kreeft also shares what he sees as the brightest spots when it comes to building Christian unity. (Video is used for illustrative purposes and is NOT affiliated with RCL Benziger).
This lesson is courtesy of RCL Benziger
RCL Benziger | Catechists | Primary | Intermediate | Junior High
Opening Life Reflection
Unity of the Church and Ecumenism
To begin, form a large circle and invite the children to imagine that they are going on a picnic. Go around the circle and invite the children to say what they will bring to the picnic using each letter of the alphabet, starting with A.
Discuss:
•What do you think of when you hear the word picnic?
• Why is food important for a picnic?
• How is sharing food a sign of friendship?
Allow time for discussion. God has given us so many good things. As members of God’s family we are to share what we have with others.
the Word of God
In today’s gospel Jesus feeds a hungry crowd.
Read John 6:1-15.
Scripture Discussion Starters
• Why are so many people following Jesus?
• Why does Jesus want to feed the hungry crowd?
• What happens when Jesus blesses the five loaves of bread and two fish?
Scripture Background
In today’s gospel Jesus feeds a hungry crowd. Many people are following Jesus because of what he has been saying and doing. They have seen him heal the sick and they want to hear his preaching. Jesus sees the large crowd and he wants to give them what they need. The people are hungry and they need to be fed. Jesus asks his disciples to find food for the people. A boy in the crowd offers his five barley loaves and two fish. Jesus miraculously multiplies the loaves and fish, and the hungry people are given more than enough to eat.
Before feeding the people, Jesus takes the bread, blesses it, and shares it. These words and actions of Jesus are similar to Jesus’ actions at the Last Supper. The miracle of the loaves and fishes in this gospel shows that Jesus is the Bread of Life.
Questions for Deeper Reflection
• When do you need time to rest?
• Why is Jesus like a Good Shepherd?
• How does Jesus show us how to live as his followers?
Doctrinal Discussion
Unity of the Church and Ecumenism
We Catholics hold that the Church is characterized by unity because its very source is one. That source, the Trinity, is comprised of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who are intimately united, three persons in one God. Unity is a gift from above, through the Holy Spirit, and is of the very essence of the household of faith, the people of God, who are bound together spiritually as one body in Christ .The Nicene Creed makes reference to this oneness. Every Sunday in the liturgical assembly Catholics profess their faith through the creed. We proclaim our belief in the unity of the Church: “We believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church…”
The significance of the characteristic of Church unity is that to be fully what the Church is meant to be, believers must maintain harmony and union among themselves. Every divisive inclination or practice must be minimized. There is no place for prejudice or factionalism within the Church. Overcoming division-at every level-is a pressing task because unity is an essential mark of the Church.
• What is pastoral ministry?
• How is God’s love and healing shown to people in need?
• How can you bring God’s love to others through your actions?
