Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B (July 29, 2018): The truth about the miracle of multiplication

Thứ Bảy, 28-07-2018 | 15:06:02

Today’s Readings:

2 Kings 4:42-44
Ps 145:10-11, 15-18
Ephesians4:1-6
John 6:1-15
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/072918.cfm

USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/18_07_29.mp3

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John.

Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.
A large crowd followed him,
because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.
Jesus went up on the mountain,
and there he sat down with his disciples.
The Jewish feast of Passover was near.
When Jesus raised his eyes
and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,
he said to Philip,
“Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”
He said this to test him,
because he himself knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered him,
“Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough
for each of them to have a little.”
One of his disciples,
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,
“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;
but what good are these for so many?”
Jesus said, “Have the people recline.”
Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.
So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,
and distributed them to those who were reclining,
and also as much of the fish as they wanted.
When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples,
“Gather the fragments left over,
so that nothing will be wasted.”
So they collected them,
and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments
from the five barley loaves
that had been more than they could eat.
When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,
“This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.”
Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off
to make him king,
he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

Good News Reflection: The truth about the miracle of multiplication

I’ve heard this Sunday’s Gospel reading de-supernaturalized with explanations such as: “The real miracle is that Jesus got the people to share the food they had brought with them”, and even this: “There wasn’t enough food for everyone to have their fill, but what they had was offered to everyone, and the people were just so appreciative and willing to make sacrifices that they ate very little and thus there was food left over.”

Yeah, r-i-i-ight. As if God can’t multiply food miraculously.

The multiplication of the loaves and fish into a meal that not only satisfied everyone but was more than what they needed is an important foreshadowing of the Eucharistic banquet that we celebrate today. If we pay close attention to what’s going on in Mass, and if we take it to heart, Jesus satisfies our hungers and gives us more than we need. What did you need from him before you arrived at church? He’s trying to give it to you or lead you to it — in abundance!

Receiving all that he wants to miraculously give us requires that we trust him to provide for us. We have to expect the unexpected. We have to wait on his perfect timing. But rest assured that he wants to give us more than we need.

Maybe some of the folks on that ancient hillside wanted steak instead of fish, but what they received was a Messiah who filled their hearts with more than enough faith to grow spiritually, more than enough hope to become stronger in their trials, and more than enough love to share as they went forth to reveal Christ to others.

In our Liturgies of the Eucharist, there’s a lot more abundance to receive from Jesus than just a little wafer of his Body and a sip of his Blood. What do you really need from Jesus? More faith? More hope? More love? It’s a good idea to think about this on the way to Mass so that you can participate in Mass more expectantly.

Questions for Personal Reflection:
Why do you go to Mass? Was there ever a time when you didn’t go, and if so, why didn’t you? What motivated you to start attending Mass again? How satisfied are you now? What’s missing? How might God provide for those needs?

Questions for Community Faith Sharing:
What is available from Jesus during Mass other than his real presence in the Host and Precious Blood of the Eucharist? How are the various elements of Mass gifts from God that can help satisfy our spiritual, emotional, and even physical needs?

Today’s Prayer:

Lord, help me to serve You with humility and courage, always trusting in Your divine providence. Amen.

Tags: Good News Reflection, Holy Gospel according to John., Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year B