My Dear Sisters and Brothers!
The story I have just told you and the Gospel of the multiplication of bread and fish have some things in common. This Sunday we have interrupted continues reading of the Gospel of Mark which in the Year B of the liturgical time, is proclaimed in our churches. The Gospel of Mark which is very condensed and brief doesn’t give us enough material to cover the whole year, that’s why for a few weeks we will listen to the Gospel of st John. It will be the chapter 6 of st John, to be precise. The part of the Gospel we will have is taken from what is called in the Gospel of John the Book of signs. St John avoids using the word miracle, instead he insisted on describing events like the one we heard of a few minutes ago as signs. A sign moves us beyond an unusual and kind of magical sphere. A sing leads us to discover something more about the performer of the event. So, what can we read from the sign given by Jesus that day near the Lake of Galilee? If you are not used to approaching the multiplication of bread and other events as signs let’s use the story of the poor woman I told you a few minutes ago to read the message which this particular sign communicates to us. Why did she pray to God? Because she didn’t have food. But she also believed that God was keen on helping her. She believed in what we call Divine Providence. Her faith was so firm that even the remarks of her neighbor couldn’t shake it. In the gift the man gave her she saw the caring hand of Jesus. The sign Jesus gave in the Gospel today tells us that God cares for us. “Looking up Jesus saw the crowds approaching and said to Philip: “Where can we buy some bread for these people to eat? ... Then Jesus took the loves, gave thanks and gave them out to all who were sitting ready.” Our Blessed Lord doesn’t overlook our human needs, as various as they are. That’s a piece of Divine insight we can gain from contemplating this passage about the sign of the multiplication of bread and fish. Jesus didn’t show off but he has shown how much he cares for us.
I realize that some people could draw my attention to the hungry of our world. Well, they don’t need to remind me of the hungry as I am well aware of the situation but I refuse the theory suggesting that God doesn’t care. He does care but if some people starve it reveals something challenging about ourselves: we don’t share with the needy enough or even worse we waste a lot of supplies we purchase.
Let’s return to the Gospel again. It is true that Jesus multiplied bread and fish but first he shaped the heart of that little boy who owned the five barley loaves and two fish to share with others all he had. By the way, if you are in a miracle hunting mood today, this is a good miracle. A little boy offering to others not his leftovers but all he had. Don’t forget the twelve baskets full of scraps either. How could you see yourself in this mirror? Maybe in your place not only scraps are wasted but even good things.
My Dear friends in Christ! Today as you return home to have a good lunch don’t focus simply on whether it is tasty or not, but look at your meal as a sign of Jesus’ care for you. I will be also praying that the next time you are just about to throw away some food you kept too long in your pantry you could be hit by this thought: “I am depriving some hungry people of the sign to see God’s care for them.”