Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

he Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Romans, vi. 3-11.

Brethren: All we, who are baptized in Christ Jesus, are baptized in His death. For we are buried together with Him by baptism into death: that as Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin may be destroyed, to the end that we may serve sin no longer. For he that is dead is justified from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall live also together with Christ: knowing that Christ rising again from the dead, dieth now no more, death shall no more have dominion over Him. For in that He died to sin, He died once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God. So do you also reckon that you are dead to sin, but alive unto God, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Explanation.

    St. Paul here exhorts us that as through baptism we become members of Christ's mystical body, what was accomplished in Him actually must also take place in us spiritually. As Jesus died for our sins, was buried, rose again, and ascended into heaven, so also must we, once risen from sin, live henceforth to God, a new, holy life, conformed to that of Christ.

he Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ, According to St. Mark, viii. 1-9.

At that time, when there was a great multitude with Jesus, and they had nothing to eat, calling His disciples together, He saith to them: I have compassion on the multitude; for behold they have now been with Me three days, and have nothing to eat. And if I shall send them away fasting to their home, they will faint in the way: for some of them came from afar off. And His disciples answered Him: From whence can any one fill them here with bread in the wilderness? And He asked them: How many loaves have ye? Who said: Seven. And He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And taking the seven loaves, giving thanks, He broke, and gave to His disciples for to set before them, and they set them before the people. And they had a few little fishes and He blessed them, and commanded them to be set before them. And they did eat and were filled, and they took up that which was left of the fragments, seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and He sent them away.

    Why did Jesus say, "I have compassion on the multitude," etc.?
    To confirm by acts what He had previously, through St. Matthew (Matt. vi. 33), taught in words, namely, that to them who seek first the kingdom of God and His justice, all other things shall be added without asking; and to show us, at the same time, the greatness of God's love, which takes account of every hour spent in His service, and compassionates every want of man. The multitude were not solicitous for food, and had not even asked it from Him, and yet He cared for them.