Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, August 2, 2026
EPISODE 596
Readings for 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
FIRST READING: Isaiah 55:1-3
Psalm 145:8-9, 15-16, 17-18. “The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.”
SECOND READING: Romans 8:35, 37-39
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Matthew 4:4b). Alleluia, alleluia! No one lives on bread alone. But on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
GOSPEL: Matthew 14:13-21
Image Credit: https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/lVLdSb71i80Khz7HxnqL?ru=Paul-Evangelion
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Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers and reflections for the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, August 2, 2026 by clicking this link here: https://on.soundcloud.com/wYibeRW7UJsJ28270T (EPISODE: 596)
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Prologue: “What Christ gives us is quite explicit if his own words are interpreted according to their Aramaic meaning. The expression 'this is my Body' means ‘this is myself.’ [Jesuit Theologian, KARL RAHNER (1904-1984)].
These readings remind us that in every age the Lord ensures that he feeds us with his Body and Blood; He nourishes us with his life-giving and transforming Word; He strengthens us with his grace; restores us with his mercy and ….(first and foremost!), He loves us as his own, as sons and daughters…….with a bond of love that simply can never be broken. Not even death, nor life, not distance nor time, nothing at all can separate us from God’s love. And then……. this gracious God sends us out as his family……his friends, his people, …….disciples and co-workers, to be an instrument of God’s nourishment and strength for others.
Jesus is still at work in our lives and in the world; inspiring people of goodwill everywhere to respond with compassion and practical action to help the starving, the homeless, the guilty, the dispossessed, the ill.. and so many others in need.
Let us always remember Jesus' advice... "YOU give them something to eat, yourselves!"
(REFERENCES:Break Open the Word).
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These are rather excellent readings. They remind us that in every age the Lord ensures that he feeds us with his Body and Blood. He nourishes us with his life-giving and transforming Word. He strengthens us with his grace; restores us with his mercy and (first and foremost!) He loves us as his own, as sons and daughters— with a bond of love that simply can never be broken. Not even death, nor life, not distance nor time, nothing at all can separate us from God’s love.
And then—this gracious God sends us out as his family, his friends, his people—disciples and co-workers—to be an instrument of God’s nourishment and strength for others.
We give thanks to God (this weekend and every weekend of our lives) for God’s bountiful love and generous care. For God knows our every true desire and thirst, and God seeks to satisfy our deepest needs in his own wisdom and by his own mysterious ways, which are not like human ways and thoughts.
With a deeply grateful heart, and with thanksgiving for God’s gracious care, I am reminded of the many different ways God feeds his people. So many wonderful memories, so many significant moments in the lives of so many—it can’t be put into words… only treasured in my heart. Recollection comes to mind really easily as we look back on the truly beautiful ways God has been at work in and through his Church, and in the wider community—in the actions and attitudes of people of goodwill everywhere, whether they be Christian or whether they simply hold values that are completely consistent with God’s values. God has constantly worked in and through his people, and through the many opportunities to love selflessly that are found in every single day.
Jesus gives us his love (a love that nothing on earth can ever separate us from). And Jesus gives us the Eucharist, as the centre and source of the Church’s life and mission. The word of God nourishes us and transforms us and challenges us. And it is such a joy to be at the service of God’s Living Word and God’s living sacraments—special means by which God gives true and lasting nourishment to his people.
The readings today remind us about what it is all about—Jesus! And they get to the heart of why Christ acted the way he did—because he truly wanted to open our eyes to the fact that we are all brothers and sisters in God’s family; that all people everywhere are called to recognise each other as brothers and sisters in Christ; Christ who is generous with his time, his resources and his love; Christ who is the living, breathing expression of the bountiful, loving God. And this fills us with wonder and gratitude.
The first reading and the Gospel are connected today in speaking about eating. In the words of the first reading, from the Prophet Isaiah: “Listen to me and you shall eat well!” There are not many parts of the Bible that are this blunt. “If you follow the Lord, you shall eat well.”
However, we know all too well that so many people throughout history have been totally faithful to God and have nevertheless died of hunger. So what are we to make of these kinds of sayings? It would be great if anyone who actually was faithful to God would never have a problem with lack of food. We who live so many centuries later can understand that the promise is not only about this life, but about the Heavenly Kingdom, and the kind of food that sustains eternal life.
We can easily think of places around the world where good people are starving—because they are not getting the basic things of life that they desperately need; the things every human needs. There have been so many people who did believe with all their hearts—and still they died from hunger. For those of us in the “developed countries”, there is almost always plenty to eat. So, in a real sense, it is true: God does provide the world as a whole with the things that are needed for life and sustenance. However, they are clearly not evenly distributed—but God has given us the means to distribute more evenly. That is where it is up to us to make a difference. We nations who have plenty need to act to distribute. So, in a real sense, we could also say—paraphrasing the words of Isaiah—“heed the Lord, and others will eat well… for we will share and provide what is needed, according to God’s will” (and why? Because God loves them all as beloved children, and we are brothers and sisters to them all).
Globally, 7.8% of the world’s population experiences chronic hunger. This equates to approximately 645 million people who are undernourished. Furthermore, 2.3 billion people (about 28% of the global population) experience moderate or severe food insecurity, meaning they lack consistent access to adequate food. So, for a huge percentage of people in the world (one-eighth of the whole world’s population), there is not enough to eat. Can we comprehend a number like this? 600 million of our brothers and sisters in the world are starving, and 2.3 billion of our brothers and sisters are going hungry. We need to ask ourselves what that might mean for us. How do we, as developed nations—or even as individuals—help with hunger in the world? Inspired by the Gospel, are we willing to eat a little less so that others might eat a little more? The answer is, of course, yes—and much is already being done.
The good news is that world starvation figures in many areas are decreasing, due to many efforts in science, medicine, food technologies, and humanitarian aid by so many groups and individuals. But the figures (and the human tragedies behind those figures) are still alarmingly high. Surely practical action to help give food to the hungry very literally helps to fulfil God’s will to give what is necessary to those in need. Surely when we do this, we are heeding God’s will so that all may eat. (We all truly hope and pray that everyone around the world is able to eat, and it is not a merely hollow hope; it is at the core of who we are. So we take practical steps to ensure this may occur, which is clearly God’s desire.)
The disciples in this weekend’s Gospel come to Jesus to ask what they are going to do about meeting the needs of so many people. Jesus tells them to do something about it themselves. But, of course, they cannot achieve such a difficult job unless they stay close to Jesus and do what he tells them.
The Gospel reminds us that, as followers of Jesus, we must always keep in mind the vision of Jesus: practical concern for people around us. Jesus is so clear that he wants his followers to give food to those who don’t have any.
Jesus is also (naturally) referring to spiritual food too—such as the Eucharist, and also nourishment from God’s Word in Scripture. So we ask ourselves whether we have sufficient spiritual food for the journey. We need to keep looking for the presence of God in our own personal lives and in our daily lives of contact with all others.
THERE IS MORE THAN STARVATION IN THE WORLD. People are finding themselves “starved” in so many different ways in this world. Even in this country, there are people who are “starving”—not so much for food, but for spiritual nourishment: starved of affection; starved of having a place to belong; starved of healthy self-esteem and a sense of dignity and respect. The list goes on. These needs for nourishment are a real need too.
Jesus is still at work in our lives and in the world, inspiring people of goodwill everywhere to respond with compassion and practical action to help the starving, the homeless, the sinner, the dispossessed, the ill—and so many others in need.
The Gospel invites us to live as truly spiritual and practical men and women—in our present world. Brothers and sisters with all of humanity, acting in practical ways to nourish the physical, spiritual, intellectual, health and other needs in life.
Our Lord truly wants us to know that we are all (everyone in the world) brothers and sisters in Christ (wherever life’s paths lead us—whether we are near or far). If the world really and truly accepted this truth of being one big family, the world would be better; the world would change—and be very different. Let us ask God to open our hearts to his presence. May we know (always) his divine presence in every other person. And may our hearts always continue to be open and responsive as we find new and practical ways to answer Jesus’ instruction to his disciples.
Daily, we come to understand more deeply that it is because we are all brothers and sisters to everyone that he bids us (in so many ways): “you give them something to eat yourselves.”
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REFERENCES:
FR. PAUL W. KELLY
https://www.who.int/news/item/28-07-2025-global-hunger-declines-but-rises-in-africa-and-western-asia-un-report
Plus, “Break Open the Word”
Image Credit:
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A (Sunday, August 2, 2026) (EPISODE: 596 )
The Lord be with you.
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{{Peace and greetings to you all.}}
My friends in Christ, to worthily celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us first acknowledge our sins.
Lord Jesus, you were lifted up to draw all people to yourself: Lord, have mercy//You shouldered the cross, to bear our suffering and sinfulness: Christ, have mercy// You open for your people the way from death into life: Lord, have mercy//
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
2. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
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PREFACE: Sunday I
Euch prayer III
(OPENING THEME VARIATION: 2)
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{{May God's love, strength, mercy and kindness guide you all this week.}}
Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.
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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here. NB - It is often a week or so ahead
Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
Details relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly
Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)
Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)
"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins Publishers.
Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers (1993). (Sydney, Australia).
Sung "Mass in Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" - By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria, Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.
"Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - In memory of William John Kelly (1942-2017) - Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.
“Quiet Time.” Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.
“Today I Arise” - For Trisha J Kelly. Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick’s Prayer. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.
Sound Engineering and editing - P.W. Kelly.
Microphones: - Shure Motiv MV5 Digital Condenser. And (2024+) Rode Nt-1 + AI-1 Sound Mixer.
Editing equipment: -- MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software v10.49 (NCH Software).
NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 17.63 (NCH Software)
Sound Processing: iZotope RX 10 Audio Editor (Izotope Inc.)
Text transcription as per recorded podcast version is transcribed by TurboScribe.ai
{excellent and accurate transcription from voice to text}
[Production - KER - 2026]
May God bless and keep you.
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