Sunday 8 August 2027

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

First Reading - 1 Kings 19.4-8

A reading from the first book of Kings. Elijah went a full day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down in the shade of a single tree, and asked that he might die: ‘It is enough, now, Lord; take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.’ Then he lay down, in the shade of the tree, and slept. He was woken by an angel, saying, ‘Get up, and eat.’ And there, at his side, was some bread, baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate, and drank, and lay down again. Then he was woken again, by the angel of the Lord, saying, ‘Get up, and eat, for you have a great journey ahead of you.’ Elijah got up, and ate, and drank. And he went, in the strength of that food, forty days and forty nights, to Horeb, the mountain of God. This is the word of the Lord.

Second Reading - Ephesians 4.11-16

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Ephesians. Christ himself gives to the church apostles and prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, to build up the body of Christ, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to lead us to unity of faith and understanding, and to lead us to maturity, and the full stature of Christ. So we will no longer be like children, vulnerable to trickery and deception, but we will grow up, in every way, in truth, and in love, into Christ, who is the head, with each part of the body joined and connected together, and working as it should, growing strong in love. This is the word of the Lord.

Gospel - John 6.41-51

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John. They began to complain about Jesus, because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ They were saying, ‘This is Jesus, the son of Joseph. We know his father, and his mother. How can he say that he came down from heaven.’ Jesus said, ‘Do not complain amongst yourselves at what I have said. The only one who has seen the Father is the one who has come down from God; and everyone who comes to me is drawn to me by the Father who sent me; and I will raise them up on the last day. It says in Isaiah, “They shall all be taught by God.” Everyone who hears the word of the Father, and learns from the Father, will come to me. And everyone who believes and trusts in me will have eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, that you may eat, and not die. I am the living bread that comes down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live for ever. And my body is the bread that I give for the life of the world.’ This is the Gospel of the Lord.