Dear Parishioners,

In today’s Gospel reading, we hear again the story of the multiplication of the loaves. In this passage, the disciples do not think they have the means to feed the crowd and they advise Our Lord Jesus to dismiss them. Our Lord then provides food for them to eat by taking what little they did have, blessing it and making it capable to feed all five- thousand people with food left over.

This miracle points us to the Eucharist for two reasons. First, Jesus is feeding the people with miraculous bread. This is similar to how He feeds us at every Mass with His body and blood under the appearance of bread. Second, this bread multiplies in order to meet the needs of the people. A similar thing happens when our Lord makes Himself present in every piece of bread consecrated at Mass no matter how much there is and no matter where in the world the eucharist is adored. Jesus is showing through this miracle that He is enough to satisfy the people and that He is what they are really searching for.

This is a lesson that the disciples had to learn. When they first present the people to the Lord, they feel like they do not have enough to feed them. They know they are only human beings and they have limitations to what they can provide. They look at themselves and only see what is lacking. So, their dismissal of the crowd comes from a practical view of themselves and what they can do. Jesus knows their discouragement and seeks to overcome it not by making them greater, but by asking them to rely on Him more. He empowers them to distribute the food and it is to their merit they trusted that He could do this miracle.

This Gospel message applies to us today because it encourages us to depend on Jesus more. We can sometimes not do what is good for others because we think of ourselves as being insignificant and lacking in time, resources and agency. But, Jesus wants us to know our worth, be sanctified in remaining in Him and to share Him with others. It is good for us to cultivate relationships of love and peace. It is good for us to promote the common good in order to build a more just society. It is good for us to share the gospel in every way we can because Christ is at the center of everything we do. Since He desires this, we should believe He will empower us to do it. The main thing that is lacking is our will to do it.

So, I commend everyone reading this to spend time praying to the Lord today, being thankful for everything He has given you. Because we cannot give what we do not first receive and the Lord loves a cheerful giver.

God Bless!

Fr. Carter