Bible
Study: 2 Kings 4:42-44. / Ephesians 4:1-6. / John 6:1-15.
Good
morning my dear people of God. Today’s message re-echoes so many themes from
that of Last Sunday such as:
1. GOD
ALONE IS OUR TRUE SHEPHERD. Where human beings fail as leaders in various
capacities, God steps in perfectly to provide the needs of the sheep. Philip
represents a type of leader who complains a lot and sees impossibilities
everywhere but Jesus knew he was only testing him.
2. GOD
PROVIDES OUR NEEDS IN ABUNDANCE. According to the Responsorial Psalm of last
Sunday, (the popular Psalm 23), God prepares a table before us, our cup
overflows. Jesus Christ did not only feed the crowd with as much as they
wanted, they even had 12 baskets full of leftover.
3. AS
SHEPHERD, GOD KNOWS HIS SHEEP. One good quality of shepherds is that they know their
sheep by name. They do not scatter the sheep but preserve their unity. There is
no discrimination among the sheep. Jesus made everyone in the crowd to sit down
together. He knew the power of unity. Everyone who was present had something to
eat.
Apart from
the above points, today’s readings actually go a step further to explain the
depth of God’s love for us as our true shepherd. He cares so much for us that
he would not leave us hungry or disappointed at any point in time. If we have
such a trustworthy and reliable shepherd as God is to us, it follows that there
are certain qualities we must possess as good sheep of his pasture. These are:
1. GENEROSITY.
The willingness to give is even greater than the gift itself. It is what is in
the heart that matters. In today’s first reading a man brought loaves for
Elisha as his first fruit offering but even before this man brought this gift,
God already told Elisha that a hundred people would feed from it. That which
you bring to God may seem small to you but to others, it is a miracle. We see
again the power of generosity in the Gospel passage when a young lad did not
hold back his lunch of five barley loaves and two fish. Because he gave from a
clean heart, his gift was found worthy in the hands of Jesus for a great
miracle.
2. FAITH.
One thing we must know is that when it comes to God, the word “impossible”
carries no weight any longer. Faith comes
with optimism. We do not need to see the future, we do not need to figure
everything out, like Andrew, we are simply to bring the little we can to Jesus
and let him do the rest.
3.
HUMILITY. St. Paul admonishes us to be humble in the second reading. He says “I…
urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all
humility and gentleness, with patience…” We see how Jesus displayed great
humility in the Gospel passage when after he had performed such a marvellous miracle,
he did not allow the people to take him and make him a king. He withdrew from their
presence.
By feeding
the people on the mountain, Jesus has shown that he is the fulfilment of the
law (represented by Moses by whose prayer, the people were fed with manner in
the wilderness) and the prophets (represented by Elisha as we see in the first
reading). Jesus has shown that He is the Messiah who has come to feed God’s
children with perfect food from heaven. And this food would be his very flesh
and blood in the Eucharist.
As you
receive Holy Communion today, picture yourself among the crowd being fed by
Jesus. Pay attention to the words of consecration and notice how the priest
says words of thanksgiving just as Jesus gave thanks over the five loaves and
two fish. Be attentive to the miracle that happens before your eyes at mass. A
miracle not of multiplication but a miracle of change; the changing of bread to
flesh and wine to blood. Pray as you receive communion that Jesus may bring
about change inside of you.
Let us
pray:
Lord
Jesus, may my share in your body and blood make me more and more like you. Amen.
Good
morning. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God
bless you. Happy Sunday. (Sorry about the lateness of today’s message.)
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