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<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>The three year lectionary presents difficulties for
the proclaimer involved in interpreting</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>the Fourth Gospel. Since there is not a year given
to the Gospel of John, it is divided up over the</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>three years: 11 texts in Series A; 19 texts in
Series B; and 10 texts in Series C, for a total of 40</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>texts. This solution gives “equal time” to each of
the evangelists over the three liturgical years</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>(Matthew—41 texts in Series A, Mark—33 texts in
Series B, Luke—42 texts in Series C), but</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>does not allow the pastor to develop the portrait
of Jesus in John’s Gospel as with the synoptic</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>gospels.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>In Series B, however, the lectionary has clustered
five texts from John 6 in consecutive</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=4>Sundays. From the 10th Sunday after Pentecost to
the 14th, we meet the following texts: John</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>6:1-15, 24-35, 41-51, 51-58 and 60-69.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-AUTOSPACE: ideograph-numeric; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: TimesNewRoman; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRoman"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore"><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt">“This</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: TimesNewRoman; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRoman"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore"><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt">is the work of God, that
you believe in him (Jesus) whom he (God) has sent” (6:29). Could
there<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
/><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-AUTOSPACE: ideograph-numeric; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt"><FONT size=4>be anything
more clearly expressed than this? But wait. The crowd still has not seen and
heard;<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-AUTOSPACE: ideograph-numeric; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt"><FONT size=4>they ask
Jesus, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do
you<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-AUTOSPACE: ideograph-numeric; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt"><FONT size=4>perform?”
(6:30).<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-AUTOSPACE: ideograph-numeric; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt"><FONT size=4>With these
questions we are brought back to square one. Nothing appears to
have<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-AUTOSPACE: ideograph-numeric; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt"><FONT size=4>happened to
the sight of the people. They, like us, are blind to the sign/work of God. Can
Jesus<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-AUTOSPACE: ideograph-numeric; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt"><FONT size=4>really
accomplish the purpose of the Gospel—to make God known? The evangelist takes
our<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-AUTOSPACE: ideograph-numeric; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt"><FONT size=4>perplexity
and uses it as the occasion for yet another word or act of revelation, this time
by a<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-AUTOSPACE: ideograph-numeric; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt"><FONT size=4>story. Do you
remember the manna in the wilderness story?<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
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class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: TimesNewRoman; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRoman"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore"><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"><FONT
size=4> </FONT></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-AUTOSPACE: ideograph-numeric; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: TimesNewRoman; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRoman"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore"><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 18pt"><A
href="http://www.luthersem.edu/word&world/Archives/5-3_Imagination/5-3_Berge.pdf"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt"><FONT color=#800080
size=4>http://www.luthersem.edu/word&world/Archives/5-3_Imagination/5-3_Berge.pdf</FONT></SPAN></A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-AUTOSPACE: ideograph-numeric; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: auto; punctuation-wrap: hanging; mso-vertical-align-alt: auto"
class=MsoNormal><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: TimesNewRoman; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRoman"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore"><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 18pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
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class=MsoNormal><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt">PAUL S. BERGE, Luther
Northwestern Theological Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota<FONT size=4>,
1985</FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV></FONT>
<DIV
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class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt"></SPAN><FONT size=5><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: TimesNewRoman; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRoman"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore"><SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: TimesNewRoman; FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt">- - - -
-</SPAN></FONT></DIV><FONT size=5>
<DIV>
<P class=style7><FONT size=4>Unwittingly, they asked him an important question,
“Where did you come from?” This pattern often occurs in the Gospel of John.
People ask an important question but don’t realize it. One of the most
significant questions of the gospels is “Where do you come from, Jesus?” Of
course, the right answer is “from God.” But these people did not know the right
answer nor the importance of their question.</FONT></P>
<P class=style7><FONT size=4>John’s gospel uses this literary technique often,
whereby people ask a profound question, with apparent innocence and
naiveté. </FONT></P>
<P class=style7><FONT size=4><></FONT></P>
<P class=style7><FONT size=4>That is still a problem today. People work so hard
to get ahead financially and materially that we human being often slip into
thinking that food and prosperity are the primary sources of our happiness. We
human beings slowly discover the truth that genuine happiness is not found in
money and material goods. As human beings, we work so hard for the things of
this world which quickly run down, break down, rust, and rot, crumble and
corrode. Everything does. </FONT></P>
<P class=style7><A
href="http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_bread_of_life_GA.htm"><FONT
size=4>http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_b_bread_of_life_GA.htm</FONT></A></P>
<P class=style7><FONT size=4>Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church,
Seattle, Washington</FONT></P>
<P class=style7><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></P>
<P class=style7><FONT size=4>When it comes to our own physical needs, we can be
right on the ball. But how easily we 'spiritualise' other people's needs so we
don't have to do much about them. After all, spiritual things are God's realm,
aren't they, so we can leave that kind of thing to <I>him</I>! Jesus here tries
to re-connect the people & their physical need (they rarely had a decent
feed!) back to their spirituality. Back to eternal life, or as I have come much
to prefer, 'real life' as my 'Complete Gospels' puts it. [Polebridge (Harper)
'94]</FONT></P>
<P class=style7><A
href="http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/marginallymark/MMKJN62435P8.html"><FONT
size=4>http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/marginallymark/MMKJN62435P8.html</FONT></A></P>
<P class=style7><FONT size=4>Brian McGowan, Anglican priest in Western
Australia</FONT><!--mstheme--><!--msthemelist--></P>
<P class=style7><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in"><FONT size=4>For John's audience, of course, only
the Christian community held up the Christ as one to be worshiped as God. So,
the only way to come and trust was through that community. This was the
challenge Christianity lay before its Jewish competitors. The activity of God
was present in the community, because the Christ was present. While what God did
was important, what God was doing now was more important.</FONT></P>
<P class=style7><A
href="http://www.word-sunday.com/Files/b/18-b/A-18-b.html"><FONT
size=4>http://www.word-sunday.com/Files/b/18-b/A-18-b.html</FONT></A></P>
<P class=style7><FONT size=4>Larry Broding's <I>Word-Sunday.Com</I>: A Catholic
Resource for This Sunday's Gospel</FONT></P>
<P class=style7><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></P>
<P class=style7><FONT size=4></FONT> </P>
<P class=style7><FONT size=4></FONT> </P>
<P class=style7><FONT size=4></FONT> </P></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>