Gospel: Mt 14:13–21 When Jesus hear of it, he set out by boat for a secluded place, to be alone. But the people heard of it, and they followed him on foot from their towns. When Jesus went ashore, he saw the crowd gathered there, and he had compassion on them. And he healed their sick. Late in the afternoon, his disciples came to him and said, “We are in a lonely place and it is now late. You should send these people away, so that they can go to the villages and buy something for themselves to eat.” But Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat.” They answered, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fishes.” Jesus said to them, “Bring them here to me.” Then he made everyone sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and the two fishes, raised his eyes to heaven, pronounced the blessing, broke the loaves, and handed them to the disciples to distribute to the people. And they all ate, and everyone had enough; then the disciples gathered up the leftovers, filling twelve baskets. About five thousand men had eaten there, besides women and children. REFLECTION: Reading: Hearing John’s demise, Jesus sets out to a lonely place. He was easily traced by the people who had come on foot. This aroused the compassion of Jesus who healed some of their sick. It was late in the afternoon when the disciples advised Jesus to send the people away so they could buy food for themselves. He in turn proposed that they be fed by the disciples and worked a miracle on the little food that they had. On that day, a multitude was fed by the miracle of the loaves and the fish. Reflection: Setbacks early in His ministry could have deterred men and women of lesser stature. John had been beheaded. Jesus was served a warning not to collide head on with the powers that be. But Jesus knew His mission and goal. Problems and obstacles are part and parcel of the task ahead. He would not retreat. He would only regroup His resources by withdrawing for a while since His time had not yet come. Yet even in His strategic retreat, logistical nightmare followed Him. The people who came on foot seeking Him had nothing to eat. Even His disciples were at a loss how to remedy the situation. It is in this difficult situation that great leaders show why they are leaders. They turn problems into opportunities. They make something big out of the little resources that they have. In the hands of Jesus the two fish and five loaves fed a multitude. It is a prelude for the things to come. This man has what it takes to confront the mighty and the powerful of the land. Response: Feeding others with physical food can be a satisfying experience. It gives us a chance to do something that addresses one of the basic needs of a person. When was the last time I whipped up a meal for others? Today I might bring some snacks or viands that I could share with others.
Posted on: Sun, 03 Aug 2014 03:11:15 +0000
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