GOSPEL COMMENTARY JN 6:1-15

Something greater than miracles

FR. ROBERT J. WAGNER

In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus uses five loaves and two fish to feed a crowd of five thousand. This miracle of multiplying loaves and fish is well-known to us because it is included in each of the four Gospels; Jesus even performs this miracle twice in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. The miracle itself illustrates how the divine words and works of Jesus are beyond the realm of the natural world. His generosity is seen not only in feeding the large crowd, but in the 12 baskets of fragments that are collected after everyone has had their fill.

The crowd was astounded. “This is truly the Prophet,” they said.

Yet this miracle — or any miracle — is not something meant to stand alone. Instead, it is a sign pointing to a greater reality — that Jesus is truly the Son of God and Savior of the world. He is to be trusted and His words believed, for He is the way, the truth and the life that leads us to eternal joy.

Too often, however, the miracle is preferred to Jesus and the salvation He offers. We see it in the Gospel today, as we hear that those following Jesus were not there for His preaching. Instead, they followed Him because of “the signs He was performing on the sick” (cf. Jn 6:2). They were amazed at His healing power, so they stayed close to Him. Then they were amazed again with the miracle of the loaves and fish, so at the end of this Sunday's Gospel, they want Jesus to be their king (cf. Jn 6:15). They wanted Him for the wrong reason: to provide for them in an earthly sense. They preferred the miracles — not the Savior and His message.

It is hard to blame them. We long for stories of miracles — healings, visions, levitating saints and other supernatural events that show God's power at work. We are astounded when God can heal our illnesses when science and medicine have fallen short. We rejoice that God can bring a wandering Catholic back to church with a personal miracle or providential encounter. Miracles are signs of God’s power and of His love for us. Often, they increase our love of God and our trust in Him.

The problem rests not in our fascination with miracles, but in our desires stopping there. Too often the miracle is all that we seek, and we cannot look past them to see what they point to: the truth that God loves and loves us so much that He sent His Son to teach us, to suffer and die to free us from our sins and to rise again in order to conquer death and bring us eternal life. In the end, this is what we really need.

Sometimes, we find our prayers are asking for something amazing from God, some sign that He is present, something we can point to that will give us the boost we need to believe and trust Him more. But we must recognize that these are just signs. God promises and provides so much more. He promises His unending love for us. He promises His forgiveness for our sins. He promises to give us and our loved ones everything we need to strengthen us that we may come to know and love Him more in this world and the next. Our prayers may be answered by a miracle, or He may answer them in another way. In either case, we must have faith that His will is done and His faithfulness and love endure.

In the Gospel this Sunday, Jesus walked away from the crowd because people desired His miracles and desired He become their king for their earthly benefit. His plan for salvation did not involve the establishment of an earthly kingdom. Instead, He established an eternal kingdom and brought about our redemption through His death and Resurrection. Jesus is Our Savior, and we place our faith in Him.

As we meditate on this passage, let us pray that we grow to love God more and more for who He is and what He promises. May we hear the truth of the words He speaks both in the Scripture and the church. May we meet Him in the sacraments, especially in the miracle of the Eucharist at each Mass. Finally, let us pray for the faith that knows that even when He does not grant us the miracles we seek, He is there, providing all we need to fulfill His promise for our salvation.

Fr. Wagner is Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde’s secretary.

The Work of God

Inspirations of the Holy Spirit

Year B

- 17th Sunday in ordinary time

Feeding of the five thousand

John 6:1-15

1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is that of Tiberias.
2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw the miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
3 Jesus therefore went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
4 Now the pasch, the festival day of the Jews, was near at hand.
5 When Jesus therefore had lifted up his eyes, and seen that a very great multitude came to him, he said to Philip: Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
6 And this he said to try him; for he himself knew what he would do.
7 Philip answered him: Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little.
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him:
9 There is a boy here that has five barley loaves, and two fishes; but what are these among so many?
10 Then Jesus said: Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. The men therefore sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 And Jesus took the loaves: and when he had given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down. In the same manner also of the fishes, as much as they would.
12 And when they were filled, he said to his disciples: Gather up the fragments that remain, lest they be lost.
13 They gathered up therefore, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above to them that had eaten.
14 Now those men, when they had seen what a miracle Jesus had done, said: This is of a truth the prophet, that is to come into the world.
15 Jesus therefore, when he knew that they would come to take him by force, and make him king, fled again into the mountain himself alone.

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

God is a God full of surprises. That day a great crowd had gathered, many attracted out of curiosity, others with the spiritual need to see the new prophet perform his miracles and reveal his new ideas.
My miracles had made impact in many minds, they had realized that I had a new teaching which was accompanied by supernatural signs, some commented that I could be Elijah, others the Messiah, but people were not sure, however the spirit brought them to that place.

My apostles had no idea of how we were going to feed the multitude that was hungry after following me. I looked up to heaven, took the loaves and the fishes that they gave me, I gave thanks to my Father and asked Him for food for them, then I advised them to lie down and wait for their turn to eat, after that, they all ate and there were even twelve baskets filled with the leftovers.

People after realizing what a great miracle had occurred, wanted to make me their King by force; I had to run away from that place. I came not so much to feed the body, but the soul, this multiplication of the loaves and the fishes is a symbol of the eucharistic multiplication of the bread of life that I have come to offer, the food for the soul that God sends from Heaven in abundance.

Many were expecting a powerful king that would free them from the slavery of the Roman Empire, when they saw my prodigies they imagined many material things except that I was going to free them from the slavery of sin.

All my miracles were temporary signs that would bring a special relief from those moments or situations, but they represented healings of the soul. The change of the water into wine represented the new wine, which is living water of the Spirit, which all those who are spiritually thirsty must drink. The blind that received their sight represented those who are blind in the spirit and need to open their eyes to see my way, the lepers who were healed represented the souls wounded by sin and who need my healing, the mute who were able to speak represented those who don’t speak with God and need the spirit in order to praise God, the paralytic and the lame who were able to walk represent those who can not walk well for lack of faith and who need spiritual health. The deaf who were able to hear represented those who have not been able to understand my word, but who listen finally to my message through the action of my Spirit. Those who were dead and brought to life represented the transformation of the soul who is dead because of sin, but who is brought to life again after a conversion.

Now, the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes represented the multiplication of my Church, the great promised banquet, the new manna which has come down from heaven and is the new food for the people of God. This miracle was a preparation for my people, who are to feel hunger for the Bread of Life, who has come down from Heaven to give strength to the soul, this miracle was a preparation for the greatest miracle which I performed, at the Holy Supper, in which I consecrated the bread as my body, and the wine as my blood.

All miracles prior to the institution of the Holy Eucharist fulfilled their purpose, however my living bread is the continuous miracle that represents my sacrifice in Calvary, it is the food of the soul that feeds my people until the end of times.

Come, come, I invite you, eat of this food that has been sent from heaven, it does not cost you money, it fills the soul, it nourishes the spirit and purifies it of sin by giving it eternal life.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

Archdiocese of Washington

What Are Your Five Loaves and Two Fishes? A Homily for the 17th Sunday of the Year

Msgr. Charles Pope • July 25, 2015 •

We have in today’s gospel the very familiar miracle of the loaves and the fishes. One is tempted to say, “Oh, that one …” and then tune out. But the gospel today contains a personal appeal from the Lord’s lips to your (my) ears: “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”

Immediately, objections begin to pop up in our minds. But let’s be still and allow the Lord to instruct us by applying this Gospel in three stages.

I would like to apply this gospel in such a way as to illustrate our need to evangelize the culture in which we currently live. It is an immense task, one that can overwhelm us, and yet the Lord still bids us to get busy and join him in feeding the multitudes.

I. THE IMAGE THAT IS EXTOLLED – The text says, Jesus went up on the mountain and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near. Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him.

The text says that Jesus saw a large crowd. I wonder if we do? Generally today when we think of the Church, we think of declining numbers. This is because we tend to think in terms of the number of members. In contrast, Jesus thinks in terms of those who need to be reached. And, as we know well, the number of those who need to be reached IS large! So while it seems clear to us that the gospel is currently “out of season,” we must never forget that everyone is precious to the Lord; He wants to reach all and feed them with His grace, mercy, truth, and love.

So, the image that is extolled is that of need, not of believers and non-believers. Is this how you and I see the world? Jesus sees all the world as a vineyard, as a mission field. He sees all as hungry, no matter how obstinate they are. It is a sad fact that many reject the food we in the Church offer; many even deny that they are hungry. But they are hungry and Jesus is about to ask our help in feeding them. Thus, while we may see opponents to the faith, this text lifts up an image that is rooted in the universal human problem of hunger, physical and spiritual.

II. THE INSUFFICIENCY THAT IS EXPRESSED – The text says, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” Jesus said this to test Philip, 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 fishes; but what good are these for so many?”

There is a human tendency to feel overwhelmed. This is understandable since the task of evangelizing and feeding the world is daunting to say the least.

Yet note that they are NOT without any resources. It may seem insufficient, but it is not nothing.

And so it is for us who may feel overwhelmed by the cultural meltdown taking place before our very eyes. It seems that every number we want to go down is going up, and every number we want to go up is going down. The cultural war seems to be occurring on multiple fronts: family, marriage, sexuality, life issues, religious freedom, schools, church attendance, the rise of secularism and atheism, and the lack of personal responsibility and self-control.

The list could go on and on. It is not difficult to demonstrate that the disrepair in our culture is enormous. The task of evangelizing our culture may seem far more difficult than coming up with two hundred days’ wages.

But note that Jesus says, “Where can WE” get enough to solve the problem. For it is not only up to us, mere mortals, to resolve the grave issues of our day. The Lord asks us to work with Him. Now, it would seem, we have a fighting chance!

III. THE IMMENSITY THAT IS EXPERIENCED – 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.

By now this story is so familiar that we are not shocked by the outcome. But no matter how many times we hear it, we still do not really accept its astonishing truth.

I can do all things in God who strengthens me (Phil 4:13).
All things are possible to him who believes (Mk 9:23).
For man it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God (Mk 10:27).
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness (2 Cor 9:10).

We all know that this world is in an increasingly bad state. The problems seem overwhelming and our resources seem so limited to turn back the tide. What will we ever do with only five loaves and two fishes?

Jesus says, “Bring them to me.”

A journey of a thousand miles begins with just one step. The conversion of the whole world begins with me. As I look the huge problems before me, I (this means you) assess my loaves and fishes:

I work on my own conversion. A holier world has to start with me. If I get holier, the world gets holier.
I look to the poor I can serve, maybe with money, maybe by using my talents to tutor or counsel, maybe just by giving of my time to listen.
I pick up the phone and call a family member who I know is hurting.
I love my spouse and my children.
I spend time raising my children to know the Lord and to seek His kingdom.
I exhort the weak in my own family. With love, I rebuke sin and encourage righteousness.
If I am a priest or religious, I faithfully live my vocation and heroically call others to Christ by teaching and proclaiming the gospel without compromise.
If I am young, I seek to prepare myself devoutly for a vocation to marriage, the priesthood, or religious life.
If I am older, I seek to manifest wisdom and to provide a good example to the young.
If I am elderly, I seek to prepare myself for death devoutly and to display the desire for Heaven.
I pray for this world and attend Mass faithfully, begging God’s mercy on this sin-soaked world.

It is too easy to lament the condition of the world and, like the Apostles, to feel overwhelmed. Jesus says, “Just bring me what you have and let’s get started.” The conversion of the whole world will begin with me, with my meager loaves and fishes.

Jesus will surely multiply them; He will not fail. Already there is renewal evident in the Church, through a faithful remnant willing to bring their loaves and fishes (some of the things mentioned above and more besides). They are bringing them to Jesus and He is multiplying them. Renewal is happening; signs of spring are evident in the Church.

There is an old saying that it is easier to wear slippers than to carpet the whole of the earth. Indeed it is. If it is a converted world that you want, start with yourself. Bring your loaves and fishes to Jesus; bring your slippers and let’s get started. It begins with me.

This song says,

If I can help somebody, as I pass along,
If I can cheer somebody, with a word or song,
If I can show somebody, how they’re traveling wrong,
Then my living shall not be in vain.

If I can do my duty, as a good man ought,
If I can bring back beauty, to a world up wrought,
If I can spread love’s message, as the Master taught,
Then my living shall not be in vain.

Video

Truly, matters in the world are in a bad state; but if you and I begin in earnest to reform ourselves, a really good beginning will have been made.

St. Peter of Alcantara

Sunday Gospel Reflections

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading I: 2Kings 4:42-44 II: Ephesians 4:1-6

Gospel
John 6:1-15

¹ After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiber'i-as.
² And a multitude followed him, because they saw the signs which he did on those who were diseased.
³ Jesus went up on the mountain, and there sat down with his disciples.
⁴ Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.
⁵ Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a multitude was coming to him, Jesus said to Philip, "How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?"
⁶ This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.
⁷ Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little."
⁸ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him,
⁹ "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?"
¹⁰ Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place; so the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
¹¹ Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted.
¹² And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, that nothing may be lost."
¹³ So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten.
¹⁴ When the people saw the sign which he had done, they said, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!"
¹⁵ Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Interesting Details

Today's reading, "the feeding of the five thousand", is the first part of chapter 6, which also includes two more accounts (pericopes): "Jesus walks on the sea" and "Jesus, the bread of life." The entire chapter is titled "Jesus, the Bread of Life."
This feeding of the five thousand story alludes to the Exodus story: the Sea of Galilee (v.1), the mountain (v.3), and the multiplying of the bread, respectively allude to the Dead Sea, Mount Sinai, and manna. Furthermore, the Jewish Passover (v.4) hints Jesus' upcoming Passover. Thus, Jesus is replacing the Old Testament way of life.
Bread was the staple of the Jewish diet. The Old Testament mentions the unleavened bread, the presence bread, and manna - the bread from heaven. Bread is seen as life sustaining. The New Testament states that we "do not live by bread alone" and "Jesus is the bread of life."
The Jewish people believe that food is a gift from God; thus, it was customary, as Jesus did in v. 11, to thank God before meals. Furthermore, since it is God's gift, the leftover bread fragments should not be wasted (v.12).
The multiplying of bread and fish shows Jesus' concern for people's physical need, but this was not his main concern. The main concern is that the miracles, or signs, should lead people to deeper faith.
In verses 14 and 15 the evangelist comments on how people misunderstand, and see Jesus as the liberating prophet/king. But that is not his mission! He is the revealer who shows us the true way of life; he is the suffering Messiah who would die.

One Main Point

Jesus is the Bread of Life.
On one level, Jesus satisfies our physical hunger. On a deeper level, he is the bread, through which we are led to a deeper level of faith, to participate in God's life.

Reflections

Jesus asks his disciples to gather the leftover bread fragments; "so they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets." In this consumer society, we are wasting foods, materials, resources, and talents. What should we do with the leftover to show our gratitude to God?
The five loaves and two fishes can be seen as our cooperation in Jesus' work. How do we use our God-given talents to help others?
Jesus is the Bread of Life in the Eucharist. When we receive the Eucharist, we become one with God. What do you do before and after receiving the Eucharist?
From #3, how does receiving the Eucharist help your faith?

The Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary . . .

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary . . .

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28)

"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb"
(Lk 1:42).

Saint Joachim & Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary;

Saint Joachim & Anne,
Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Memorial
July 26th

Joos van Cleve
St Anne with the Virgin and Child and St Joachim
Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts, Brussels
Wood, 109 x 74 cm

Joachim (whose name means Yahweh prepares), was the father of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Anne (Hebrew, Hannah, grace; also spelled Ann, Anne, Anna) is the traditional name of the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Tradition grounded on very old testimonies, very early hailed Saints Joachim and Anne as the father and mother of the Mother of God.
(Principal source - Catholic Encyclopedia - 1913 edition)
Collect:
O Lord, God of our Fathers,
who bestowed on Saints Joachim and Anne this grace,
that of them should be born the Mother of your incarnate Son,
grant, through the prayers of both,
that we may attain the salvation
you have promised to your people.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.
First Reading: Ecclesiasticus 44:1, 10-15
Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers in their generations. But these were men of mercy, whose righteous deeds have not been forgotten; their prosperity will remain with their descendants, and their inheritance to their children's children. Their descendants stand by the covenants; their children also, for their sake. Their posterity will continue for ever, and their glory will not be blotted out. Their bodies were buried in peace, and their name lives to all generations. Peoples will declare their wisdom, and the congregation proclaims their praise.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:16-17
[Jesus said,] "blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it".

I had forgotten the miracle by the hand of Elisha the Prophet by the word of the LORD. It was wonderful to be reminded in this morning’s weekly portion.

Sts. Joachim and Anne, parents of the Virgin Mary, honored July 26 (Catholic Caucus)
The Discovery of the Saint Anne's Relics (Catholic Caucus)
[CATHOLIC CAUCUS] Traditional Feast Of Saint Joachim, Patriarch
Saint Anne and Saint Joachim
St. Roch - The Great Advocate of the Sign of the Cross (And More on St. Joachim) (Catholic Caucus)
The Life Of Saint Ann[and St.Joachim]

Information: St. Joachim;

Feast Day: July 26

Patron of: Fathers, Grandparents

Information: St. Anne

Feast Day: July 26

Patron of: Housewives, women in labor, cabinet-makers, and miners

Holy Spirit Interactive Kids: A Saint a Day

St. Joachim and St. Anne

Feast Day: July 26

St. Anne and St. Joachim are the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the grandparents of Jesus. They spent their lives worshiping God and doing good. For many years after they were married, God did not bless them with children and this made them sad. For years and years, Anne had begged the Lord to give her a child and she promised to consecrate the baby to him.

When she was already old, God answered her prayer in a far better way than she could ever have dreamed. The child born to St. Joachim and St. Anne was the Immaculate Virgin Mary. Mary, the holiest of all women was to become the Mother of God. Anne took tender care of little Mary for a few years. Then she gave her to the service of God, as she had promised she would.

Mary went to live in the holy Temple of Jerusalem. St. Joachim and St. Anne continued their lives of prayer until they died and God called them home to heaven. Christians have always been especially devoted to St. Anne. Many beautiful churches have been built in her honor. Perhaps one of the most famous is the Shrine of St. Anne de Beaupre in Canada. Great crowds go there all year around to ask St. Anne's help in their sufferings.

Reflection: Today, let us pray especially for the gift of our grandparents as we wish them a happy feast day.

John
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	John 6
1.	AFTER these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is that of Tiberias.	Post hæc abiit Jesus trans mare Galilææ, quod est Tiberiadis :	μετα ταυτα απηλθεν ο ιησους περαν της θαλασσης της γαλιλαιας της τιβεριαδος
2.	And a great multitude followed him, because they saw the miracles which he did on them that were diseased.	et sequebatur eum multitudo magna, quia videbant signa quæ faciebat super his qui infirmabantur.	και ηκολουθει αυτω οχλος πολυς οτι εωρων αυτου τα σημεια α εποιει επι των ασθενουντων
3.	Jesus therefore went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.	Subiit ergo in montem Jesus et ibi sedebat cum discipulis suis.	ανηλθεν δε εις το ορος ο ιησους και εκει εκαθητο μετα των μαθητων αυτου
4.	Now the pasch, the festival day of the Jews, was near at hand.	Erat autem proximum Pascha dies festus Judæorum.	ην δε εγγυς το πασχα η εορτη των ιουδαιων
5.	When Jesus therefore had lifted up his eyes, and seen that a very great multitude cometh to him, he said to Philip: Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?	Cum sublevasset ergo oculos Jesus, et vidisset quia multitudo maxima venit ad eum, dixit ad Philippum : Unde ememus panes, ut manducent hi ?	επαρας ουν ο ιησους τους οφθαλμους και θεασαμενος οτι πολυς οχλος ερχεται προς αυτον λεγει προς τον φιλιππον ποθεν αγορασομεν αρτους ινα φαγωσιν ουτοι
6.	And this he said to try him; for he himself knew what he would do.	Hoc autem dicebat tentans eum : ipse enim sciebat quid esset facturus.	τουτο δε ελεγεν πειραζων αυτον αυτος γαρ ηδει τι εμελλεν ποιειν
7.	Philip answered him: Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little.	Respondit ei Philippus : Ducentorum denariorum panes non sufficiunt eis, ut unusquisque modicum quid accipiat.	απεκριθη αυτω φιλιππος διακοσιων δηναριων αρτοι ουκ αρκουσιν αυτοις ινα εκαστος αυτων βραχυ τι λαβη
8.	One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, saith to him:	Dicit ei unus ex discipulis ejus, Andreas, frater Simonis Petri :	λεγει αυτω εις εκ των μαθητων αυτου ανδρεας ο αδελφος σιμωνος πετρου
9.	There is a boy here that hath five barley loaves, and two fishes; but what are these among so many?	Est puer unus hic qui habet quinque panes hordeaceos et duos pisces : sed hæc quid sunt inter tantos ?	εστιν παιδαριον εν ωδε ο εχει πεντε αρτους κριθινους και δυο οψαρια αλλα ταυτα τι εστιν εις τοσουτους
10.	Then Jesus said: Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. The men therefore sat down, in number about five thousand.	Dixit ergo Jesus : Facite homines discumbere. Erat autem fœnum multum in loco. Discumberunt ergo viri, numero quasi quinque millia.	ειπεν δε ο ιησους ποιησατε τους ανθρωπους αναπεσειν ην δε χορτος πολυς εν τω τοπω ανεπεσον ουν οι ανδρες τον αριθμον ωσει πεντακισχιλιοι
11.	And Jesus took the loaves: and when he had given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down. In like manner also of the fishes, as much as they would.	Accepit ergo Jesus panes : et cum gratias egisset, distribuit discumbentibus : similiter et ex piscibus quantum volebant.	ελαβεν δε τους αρτους ο ιησους και ευχαριστησας διεδωκεν τοις μαθηταις οι δε μαθηται τοις ανακειμενοις ομοιως και εκ των οψαριων οσον ηθελον
12.	And when they were filled, he said to his disciples: Gather up the fragments that remain, lest they be lost.	Ut autem impleti sunt, dixit discipulis suis : Colligite quæ superaverunt fragmenta, ne pereant.	ως δε ενεπλησθησαν λεγει τοις μαθηταις αυτου συναγαγετε τα περισσευσαντα κλασματα ινα μη τι αποληται
13.	They gathered up therefore, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above to them that had eaten.	Collegerunt ergo, et impleverunt duodecim cophinos fragmentorum ex quinque panibus hordeaceis, quæ superfuerunt his qui manducaverant.	συνηγαγον ουν και εγεμισαν δωδεκα κοφινους κλασματων εκ των πεντε αρτων των κριθινων α επερισσευσεν τοις βεβρωκοσιν
14.	Now those men, when they had seen what a miracle Jesus had done, said: This is of a truth the prophet, that is to come into the world.	Illi ergo homines cum vidissent quod Jesus fecerat signum, dicebant : Quia hic est vere propheta, qui venturus est in mundum.	οι ουν ανθρωποι ιδοντες ο εποιησεν σημειον ο ιησους ελεγον οτι ουτος εστιν αληθως ο προφητης ο ερχομενος εις τον κοσμον
15.	Jesus therefore, when he knew that they would come to take him by force, and make him king, fled again into the mountain himself alone.	Jesus ergo cum cognovisset quia venturi essent ut raperent eum, et facerent eum regem, fugit iterum in montem ipse solus.	ιησους ουν γνους οτι μελλουσιν ερχεσθαι και αρπαζειν αυτον ινα ποιησωσιν αυτον βασιλεα ανεχωρησεν εις το ορος αυτος μονος

1. After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.
2. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
3. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
4. And the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
5. When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come to him, he said to Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
6. And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
7. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
8. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, says to him,
9. There is a lad here, which has five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
10. And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
12. When they were filled, he said to his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
13. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above to them that had eaten.
14. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world.

CHRYS. As missiles rebound with great force from a hard body, and fly off in all directions, whereas a softer material retains and stops them; so violent men are only excited to greater rage by violence on the side of their opponents, whereas gentleness softens them. Christ quieted the irritation of the Jews by retiring from Jerusalem. He went into Galilee, but not to Cana again, but beyond the sea: After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.

ALCUIN. This sea has different names, from the different places with which it is connected; the sea of Galilee, from the province; the sea of Tiberias, from the city of that name. It is called a sea, though it is not salt water, that name being applied to all large pieces of water, in Hebrew. This sea our Lord often passes over, in going to preach to the people bordering on it.

THEOPHYL. He goes from place to place to try the dispositions of people, and excite a desire to hear Him: And a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His miracles which He did on them that were diseased.

ALCUIN. viz. His giving sight to the blind, and other like miracles. And it should be understood, that all, whom He healed in body, He renewed likewise in soul.

CHRYS. Though favored with such teaching, they were influenced less by it, than by the miracles; a sign of their low state of belief: for Paul says of tongues, that they are for a sign, not to them that believe, I but to them that believe not. They were wiser of whom it is said, that they were astonished at His doctrine. The Evangelist does not say what miracles He wrought, the great object of his book being to give our Lord's discourses. It follows: And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there sat with His disciples. He went up into the mountain, on account of the miracle which was going to be done. That the disciples alone ascended with Him, implies that the people w ho stayed behind were in fault for not following. He went up to the mountain too, as a lesson to us to retire from the tumult and confusion of the world, and leave wisdom in solitude. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. Observe, in a whole year, the Evangelist has told us of no miracles of Christ, except His healing the impotent man, and the nobleman's son. His object was to give not a regular history, but only a few of the principal acts of our Lord. But why did not our Lord go up to the feast? He was taking occasion, from the wickedness of the Jews, gradually to abolish the Law.

THEOPHYL. The persecutions of the Jews gave Him reason for retiring, and thus setting aside the Law. The truth being now revealed, types were at an end, and He was under no obligation to keep the Jewish feasts. Observe the expression, a feast of the Jews, not a feast of Christ.

BEDE. If we compare the accounts of the different Evangelists, we shall find very clearly, that there was an interval of a year between the beheading of John, and our Lord's Passion. For, since Matthew says that our Lord, on hearing of the death of John, withdrew into a desert place, where He fed the multitude; and John says that the Passover was nigh, when He fed the multitude; it is evident that John was beheaded shortly before the Passover. And at the same feast, the next year Christ suffered. It follows, When Jesus then lifted up His eyes, and saw a great company come to Him, He said to Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? When Jesus lifted up His eyes, this is to show us, that Jesus was not generally with His eyes lifted up, looking about Him, but sitting calm and attentive, surrounded by His disciples.

CHRYS. Nor did He only sit with His disciples, but conversed with them familiarly, and gained possession of their minds. Then He looked, and saw a crowd advancing. But why did He ask Philip that question? Because He knew that His disciples, and he especially, needed further teaching. For this Philip it was who said afterwards, Show us the Father, and it suffices us. And if the miracle had been performed at once, without any introduction, the greatness of it would not have been seen. The disciples were made to confess their own inability, that they might see the miracle more clearly; And this He said to prove him.

AUG. One kind of temptation leads to sin, with which God never tempts any one; and there is another kind by which faith is tried. In this sense it is said that Christ proved His disciple. This is not meant to imply that He did not know what Philip would say; but is an accommodation to men's way of speaking. For as the expression, Who searches the hearts of men, does not mean the searching of ignorance, but of absolute knowledge; so here, when it is said that our Lord proved Philip, we must understand that He knew him perfectly, but that He tried him, in order to confirm his faith. The Evangelist himself guards against the mistake which this imperfect mode of speaking might occasion, by adding, For He Himself knew what He would do.

ALCUIN. He asks him this question, not for His own information, but in order to show His yet unformed disciple his dullness of mind, which he could not perceive of himself.

THEOPHYL. Or to show others it. He was not ignorant of His disciple's heart Himself.

AUG. But if our Lord, according to John's account, on seeing the multitude, asked Philip, tempting him, whence they could buy food for them, it is difficult at first to see how it can be true, according to the other account, that the disciples first told our Lord, to send away the multitude; and that our Lord replied, They need not depart; give you them to eat. We must understand then it was after saying this, that our Lord saw the multitude, and said to Philip what John had related, which has been omitted by the rest.

CHRYS. Or they are two different occasions altogether.

THEOPHYL. Thus tried by our Lord, Philip was found to be possessed which human notions, as appears from what follows, Philip answered Him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

ALCUIN. Wherein he shows his dullness: for, had he perfect ideas of his Creator, he would not be thus doubting His power.

AUG. The reply, which is attributed to Philip by John, Mark puts in the mouth of all the disciples, either meaning us to understand that Philip spoke for the rest, or else putting the plural number for the singular, which is often done.

THEOPHYL. Andrew is in the same perplexity that Philip is; only he has rather higher notions of our Lord: There its a lad here which has five barley loaves and two small fishes.

CHRYS. Probably He had some reason in his mind for this speech. He would know of Elijah's miracle, by which a hundred men were fed with twenty loaves. This was a great step; but here he stopped. He did not rise any higher. For his next words are, But what are these among so many? He thought that less could produce less in a miracle, and more more; a great mistake; inasmuch as it was as easy for Christ to feed the multitude from a few fishes as from many. He did not really want any material to work from, but only made use of created things for this purpose in order to show that no part of the creation was severed from His wisdom.

THEOPHYL. This passage confounds the Manicheans, who say that bread and all such things were created by an evil Deity. The Son of the good God, Jesus Christ, multiplied the loaves. Therefore they could not have been naturally evil; a good God would never have multiplied what was evil.

AUG. Andrew's suggestion about the five loaves and two fishes, is given as coming from the disciples in general, in the other Evangelists, and the plural number is used.

CHRYS. And let those of us, who are given to pleasure, observe the plain and abstemious eating of those great and wonderful men. He made the men sit down before the loaves appeared, to teach us that with Him, things teat are not are as things that are, as Paul says, Who calls those things that be not, as though they were. The passage proceeds then: And Jesus said, Make the men sit down.

ALCUIN. Sit down, i.e. lie down, as the ancient custom w as, which they could do, as there was much grass in the place.

THEOPHYL. i.e. green grass. It was the time of the Passover, which was kept the first month of the spring. So the men sat down in number about five thousand. The Evangelist only counts the men following the direction in the law. Moses numbered the people from twenty years old and upwards, making no mention of the women; to signify that the manly and juvenile character is especially honorable in God's eyes. And Jesus took the loaves; and when He had given thanks, He distributed to them that were sat down: and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

CHRYS. But why when He is going to heal the impotent, to raise the dead, to calm the sea, does He not pray, but here does give thanks? To teach us to give thanks to God, whenever we sit down to eat. And He prays more in lesser matters, in order to show that He does not pray from any motive of need. For had prayer been really necessary to supply His wants, His praying would have been in proportion to the importance of each particular work. But acting, as He does, on His own authority, it is evident, He only prays out of condescension to us. And, as a great multitude was collected, it was an opportunity of impressing on them, that His coming was in accordance with God's will. Accordingly, when a miracle was private, He did not pray; when numbers were present, He did.

HILARY. Five loaves are then set before the multitude, and broken. The broken portions pass through into the hands of those who break, that from which they are broken all the time not at all diminishing. And yet there they are, the bits taken from it, in the hands of the persons breaking. There is no catching by eye or touch the miraculous operation: that is, which was not, that is seen, which is not understood. It only remains for us to believe that God can do all things.

AUG. He multiplied in His hands the five loaves, just as He produces harvest out of a few grains. There was a power in the hands of Christ; and those five loaves were, as it were, seeds, not indeed committed to the earth, but multiplied by Him who made the earth.

CHRYS. Observe the difference between the servant and the lord. The Prophets received grace, as it were, by measure, and according to that measure performed their miracles: whereas Christ, working this by His own absolute power, produces a kind of super abundant result. When they were filled, He said to His disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments. This was not done for needless ostentation, but to prevent men from thinking the whole a delusion; which was the reason why He made use of an existing material to work from. But why did He give the fragments to His disciples to carry away, and not to the multitude? Because the disciples were to be the teachers of the world, and therefore it was most important that the truth should be impressed upon them. Wherefore I admire not only the multitude of the loaves which were made, but the definite quantity of the fragments; neither more nor less than twelve baskets full, and corresponding to the number of the twelve Apostles.

THEOPHYL. We learn too from this miracle, not to be pusillanimous in the greatest straits of poverty.

BEDE. When the multitude saw the miracle our Lord had done, they marveled; as they did not know yet that He was God. Then those men, the Evangelist adds, i.e. carnal men, whose understanding was carnal, when they had perceived the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world.

ALCUIN. Their faith being as yet weak, they only call our Lord a Prophet not knowing that He was God. But the miracle had produced considerable effect upon them, as it made them call our Lord that Prophet, singling Him out from the rest. They call Him a Prophet, because some of the Prophets had worked miracles; and properly, inasmuch as our Lord calls Himself a Prophet; It cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

AUG. Christ is a Prophet and the Lord of Prophets; as He is an Angel, and the Lord of Angels. In that He came to announce something, He was an Angel; in that He foretold the future, He was a Prophet; in that He was the Word made flesh, He was Lord both of Angels and Prophets; for none can be a Prophet without the word of God.

CHRYS. Their expression, that should come into the world, shows that they expected the arrival of some great Prophet. And this is why they say, This is of a truth that Prophet: the article being put in the Greek, to show that He was distinct from other Prophets.

AUG. But let us reflect a little here. Forasmuch as the Divine Substance is not visible to the eye, and the miracles of the divine government of the world, and ordering of the whole creation, are overlooked in consequence of their constancy; God has reserved to Himself acts, beside the established course and order of nature, to do at suitable times; in order that those who overlooked the daily course of nature, might be roused to wonder by the sight of what was different from, though not at all greater, than what they were used to. The government of the world is a greater miracle, than the satisfying the hunger of five thousand with five loaves; and yet no one wonders at this: the former excited wonder; not from any real superiority in it, but because it was uncommon. But it would be wrong to gather no more than this from Christ's miracles: for, the Lord who is on the mount, and the Word of God which is on high, the same is no humble person to be lightly passed over, but we must look up to Him reverently.

ALCUIN. Mystically, the sea signifies this tumultuous world. In the fullness of time, when Christ had entered the sea of our mortality by His birth, trodden it by His death, passed over it by His resurrection, then followed Him crowds of believers, both from the Jews and Gentiles.

BEDE. Our Lord went up to the mountain, when He ascended to heaven, which is signified by the mountain.

ALCUIN. His leaving the multitude below, and ascending the heights with His disciples, signifies, that lesser precepts are to be given to beginners, higher to the more matured. His refreshing the people shortly before the Passover signifies our refreshment by the bread of the divine word; and the body and blood, i.e. our spiritual passover, by which we pass over from vice to virtue. And the Lord's eyes are spiritual gifts, which he mercifully bestows on His Elect. He turns His eyes upon them, i.e. has compassionate respect to them.

AUG. The five barley loaves signify the old law; either because the law was given to men not as yet spiritual, but carnal, i.e. under the dominion of the five senses, (the multitude itself consisted of five thousand:) or because the Law itself was given by Moses in five books. And the loaves being of barley is also an allusion to the Law, which concealed the soul's vital nourishment, under carnal ceremonies. For in barley the corn itself is buried under the most tenacious husk. Or, it alludes to the people who were not yet freed from the husk of carnal appetite, which cling to their heart.

BEDE. Barley is the food of cattle and slaves: and the old law was given to slaves and cattle, i.e. to carnal men.

AUG. The two fishes again, that gave the pleasant taste to the bread, seem to signify the two authorities by which the people were governed, the Royal, viz. and the Priestly; both of which prefigure our Lord, who sustained both characters.

BEDE. Or, by the two fishes are meant the saying or writings of the Prophets, and the Psalmist. And whereas the number five refers to the five senses, a thousand stands for perfection. But those who strive to obtain the perfect government of their five senses, are called men, in consequence of their superior powers: they have no womanly weaknesses; but by a sober and chaste life, earn the sweet refreshment of heavenly wisdom.

AUG. The boy who had these is perhaps the Jewish people, who, as it were, carried the loaves and fishes after a servile fashion, and did not eat them. That which they carried, while shut up, was only a burden to them; when opened became their food

BEDE. And well is it said, But what are these among so many? The Law was of little avail, till He took it into His hand, i.e. fulfilled it, and gave it a spiritual meaning. The Law made nothing perfect.

AUG. By the act of breaking He multiplied the five loaves. The five books of Moses, when expounded by breaking, i.e. unfolding them, made many books.

AUG. Our Lord by breaking, as it were, what was hard in the Law, and opening what was shut, that time when He opened the Scriptures to the disciples after the resurrection, brought the Law out in its full meaning.

AUG. Our Lord's question proved the ignorance of His disciples, i.e. the people's ignorance of the Law. They lay on the grass, i.e. were carnally minded, rested in carnal things, for all flesh is grass. Men are filled with the loaves, when what they hear with the ear, they fulfill in practice.

AUG. And what are the fragments, but the parts which the people could not eat? An intimation, that those deeper truths, which the multitude cannot take in, should be entrusted to those who are capable of receiving them, and afterwards teaching them to others; as were the Apostles. For which reason twelve baskets were filled with them.

ALCUIN. Baskets are used for servile work. The baskets here are the Apostles and their followers, who, though despised in this present life, are within filled with the riches of spiritual sacraments. The Apostles too are represented as baskets, because, that through them, the doctrine of the Trinity was to be preached in the four parts of the world. His not making new loaves, but multiplying what there were, means that He did not reject the Old Testament, but only developed and explained it.

15. When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

BEDE. The multitude concluding, from so great a miracle, that He was merciful and powerful, wished to make Him a king. For men like having a merciful king to rule over them, and a powerful one to protect them. Our Lord knowing this, retired to the mountain: When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take Him by force to make Him a king, He departed again into a mountain Himself alone. From this we gather, that our Lord went down from the mountain before, where He was sitting with His disciples, when He saw the multitude coming, and had fed them on the plain below. For how could He go up to the mountain again, unless He had come down from it.

AUG. This is not at all inconsistent with what we read, that He went up into a mountain apart to pray: the object of escape being quite compatible with that of prayer. Indeed our Lord teaches us here, that whenever escape is necessary, there is great necessity for prayer.

AUG. Yet He who feared to be made a king, was a king; not made king by men, (for He ever reigns with the Father, in that He is the Son of God,) but making men kings: which kingdom of His the Prophets had foretold. Christ by being made man, made the believers in Him Christians, i.e. members of His kingdom, incorporated and purchased by His Word. And this kingdom will be made manifest, after the judgment; when the brightness of His saints shall be revealed. The disciples however, and the multitude who believed in Him thought that He had come to reign now; and so would have taken Him by force, to make Him a king, wishing to anticipate His time, which He kept secret.

CHRYS. See what the belly can do. They care no more for the violation of the Sabbath; all their zeal for God is fled, now that their bellies are filled: Christ has become a Prophet, and they wish to enthrone Him as king. But Christ makes His escape; to teach us to despise the dignities of the world. He dismisses His disciples, and goes up into the mountain. - These, when their Master had left them went down in the evening to the sea; as we read; And when even was now come, His disciples went down to the sea. They waited till evening, thinking He would come to them; and then, as He did not come, delayed no longer searching for Him, but in the ardor of love, entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. They went to Capernaum thinking they should find Him there.

Catena Aurea John 6

The miracle of the multiplication of 5 breads and 2 fish

From the Gospel of Tsar Johann the Bulgarian
1356

(The inscription in Old Slavonic, "contrary wind", is part of the text nearest to the illumination and refers to the next episode).

Day 207 - Jesus Blesses the Children // The Rich Ruler

Today’s Reading: Luke 18:15-30
15 Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 20 You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’ “ 21 And he said, “All these I have observed from my youth.” 22 And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich. 24 Jesus looking at him said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” 28 And Peter said, “Behold, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no man who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive manifold more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Today’s Commentary:
Sell all: Jesus exposes the rich man’s greatest weakness: his attachment to earthly wealth (18:23). Because his heart is tied to his possessions, even the prospect of gaining eternal life fails to conquer his affections for them. Unless we become “poor in spirit” (Mt 5:3), wealth will have the same disastrous effect on us as it has on the rich man. Note that Zacchaeus (Lk 19:1-10) and Joseph of Arimathea (Mt 27:57) were also wealthy, yet both preferred the higher treasures of the kingdom by responding to the gospel.

Catholic Culture

Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Jesus Feeding the Multitudes with Loaves and Fishes

Daily Readings for: July 26, 2015
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: O God, protector of those who hope in you, without whom nothing has firm foundation, nothing is holy, bestow in abundance your mercy upon us and grant that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may use the good things that pass in such a way as to hold fast even now to those that ever endure. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

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Old Calendar: Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, that nothing may be lost." So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten (Jn 6:11-13).

Today is the feast of Sts. Joachim & Anne which is superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

Click here for commentary on the readings in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from the Second Book of Kings 4:42-44. We have here an incident from the life of Elisha, the prophet in Israel who inherited the mantle of the great Elijah. He prophesied in Israel during the second half of the 9th century. By anointing Jehu as king of Israel, he helped to bring about the overthrow of Achab's dynasty which had introduced the worship of Baal into Israel and had almost paganized the whole northern kingdom. This reading describes a miracle worked by Elisha

The second reading is from the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians 4:1-6. St. Paul lays great stress on Christian unity which is the essence of the faith. In these six verses he gives a sevenfold formula of unity on which the various aspects of true Christian unity are based.

The Gospel is from St. John 6:1-15. Although Jesus had the intention of preparing the minds of the multitude for his discourse on the heavenly food which he would make next day, his principal motive in working this miracle was pity and compassion. He knew that they were hungry—they had been away from home all day and some for many days.

They were willing to suffer this inconvenience but he did not want them to do so. Even though he knew there were some among them who would never accept him, and perhaps even some who would be among the rabble that demanded his crucifixion on Good Friday; yet he made no distinction. He had compassion on them all.

This miracle should surely convince us that Christ is interested in our daily needs too, just as he was interested in those of his contemporaries in Palestine. Our principal and only real purpose in life is to be saved and Christ is ever ready to help us. However, we have first to travel through our earthly life so, of necessity, we have to take a passing interest in the affairs of this world. We have to provide for our earthly needs and for those of any others who may depend on us. For many, in fact for the vast majority of men, this has always been and will be a struggle against great odds. Here, too, Christ is ever ready to help us. He has a true interest in our progress through life and if we turn to him trustfully and sincerely, he will help us over our difficulties.

This does not mean that we can expect or demand a miracle whenever we find ourselves in difficulties. If, however, we are true to Christ and to the faith in our daily lives, he will find ways and means of freeing us from difficulties which would otherwise overcome us. If we look back over our past we may notice occasions when we were saved from grave difficulties by some unexpected intervention. We may not even have called on Christ to help us but he knew our needs and he answered our unspoken request. Those five thousand hungry people had not asked him for food, but he knew their needs. He knew too that their needs were caused by their desire to be in his presence—so he gave them what they had not thought of asking for. If we are loyal to him we, too, can trust that his mercy and power will be with us in our hour of need. He may not remove the cause of our difficulty. Remember St. Paul who had some bodily infirmity which he thought impeded his effectiveness as a missioner? Three times he pleaded with Christ to remove this 'infirmity, but Christ assured him: "my grace is sufficient for you." He would prove all the more effectively that he was Christ's Apostle by preaching in spite of that infirmity: "for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. 12: 7-9). Thus it may be that Christ will use the very difficulty from which we are suffering, to bring us and others into more intimate union with him. Many of the saints suffered great hardships and afflictions during their years on earth—these very afflictions were Christ's gifts to them. Without these, and the virtues of patience, faith and trust which they had to practice, they might not be among God's elect today.

We must rest assured then that Christ is intimately interested in our daily lives on earth. We must not expect that this interest of his will remove all shadows from our path. This would not be for our eternal good—and our eternal happiness is Christ's first interest in us. It should also be our own first and principal interest too. It will help us, too, to bear with our lot, if we look about us and see so many others who are worse off, or at least as badly off as we are especially with regard to the snags of life. Christian charity will move us to help them; we may not be able to give them any material help, but we can help to lighten their load by showing our sincere interest in them and by offering words of comfort and consolation. This is the only charity that the poor have to offer to their fellow sufferers, but if it is Christ-inspired its effects will reach to heaven.

Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: John 6:1-15

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

He withdrew again to the mountain alone. (John 6:15)

Did you ever think that Jesus would let the crowd make him their king after he had multiplied the loaves and fishes? That may be what they wanted, but Jesus chose otherwise. He chose humility.

In today’s second reading, Paul tells the Ephesians and all of us, “Live in a manner worthy of the call you have received” (Ephesians 4:1). We tend to reduce this invitation to specific points of action: I have to do this good thing, and I have to avoid that temptation. But what if Paul were urging us to imitate Jesus first and foremost in our dispositions—especially in our humility?

True humility means trying to avoid building ourselves up in the eyes of others. It means trying not to judge people harshly or bring them down in hopes of elevating ourselves. It means even avoiding the pride that can pop up when other people remark on our humility!

How can we learn from Jesus how to be meek and humble of heart? The answer may be found in the way we yield ourselves to God and let his grace shape our hearts and our minds. When we stop trying to earn God’s approval or achieve other people’s recognition and allow ourselves to be fed and strengthened by Jesus instead, grace multiplies—just as the loaves multiplied when Jesus offered them to his Father. Yielding to the Lord like this will open us to the grace we need to do those things we find hard to do on our own. It will keep us from promoting ourselves because we will be keenly aware of how much we owe the Lord.

Today, tell Jesus that you want his grace to help you view yourself a bit more humbly and view other people a bit more highly. Tell him that without grace, it is impossible to be humble. Ask him over and over again, and watch as he transforms your heart.

“Lord, give me the grace to be just as humble as you were the day you fed the five thousand.”

2 Kings 4:42-44
Psalm 145:10-11, 15-18
Ephesians 4:1-6

Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion:

Mass Readings:
1st Reading: 2 Kings 4:42-44
Responsorial: Psalm 145:10-11, 15-18
2nd Reading: Ephesians 4:1-6
Gospel: John 6:1-15

1. In the first reading, the prophet Elisha feeds a hundred people with “twenty barley loaves.” In what way does this story prefigure Christ's miracle of the multiplication of loaves? In the “Our Father,” we ask the Lord for “our daily bread.” In what ways does the Lord feed you and provide you with daily sustenance?

2. The Responsorial Psalm ends with these words: “The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth.” How important do you think it is to call upon the Lord in a daily time of personal prayer and Scripture reading? If you don’t already have a daily time of personal prayer and Scripture reading, are you willing to commit 15 minutes a day to it? If not, what are your reasons?

3. In the letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul reminds us how we are to live together in humility and unity as Christians. In particular he uses the words "one" or "unity" nine times. What are some of the characteristics of this call to unity? If St. Paul were to visit you today, what would you be able to tell him about your attempts to live in unity with others in your family, in your parish, and with friends and neighbors? What additional steps can you take to increase the "bond of peace" with your fellow Catholics? Other Christians?

4. The Gospel relates the story of the multiplication of the loaves, which itself prefigures the Eucharist. The bread in this story sustains earthly life, while the Eucharist sustains us for eternity and is the full manifestation of Christ's boundless love for us. It is a meal we share together in humility as Catholics, a sign and cause of unity. What steps can you take to deepen your experience of Christ, and his love for you, when you receive the Eucharist?

5. The Second Vatican Council called the Eucharist "the source and summit of the Christian life". The Greek word "Eucharist" itself means "thanksgiving". How thankful are you for this great gift of Christ?

6. In the meditation, we hear these words: “In today’s second reading, Paul tells the Ephesians and all of us, “Live in a manner worthy of the call you have received” (Ephesians 4:1). We tend to reduce this invitation to specific points of action: I have to do this good thing, and I have to avoid that temptation. But what if Paul were urging us to imitate Jesus first and foremost in our dispositions—especially in our humility?” The meditation goes on to describe “true humility” in this way: “True humility means trying to avoid building ourselves up in the eyes of others. It means trying not to judge people harshly or bring them down in hopes of elevating ourselves. It means even avoiding the pride that can pop up when other people remark on our humility!” How do you rate yourself against this definition? What steps can you take to grow in humility?

7. Take some time now to pray for the grace to learn from Jesus in regard to humility and to grow in humility. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.

A Christian Pilgrim

JESUS PAYS A HUNDREDFOLD THE LITTLE WE OFFER

(A biblical refection on THE 17th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME [YEAR B] – July 26, 2015)

Gospel Reading: John 6:1-15

First Reading: 2Kings 4:42-44; Psalms: Psalm 145:10-11,15-18; Second Reading: Ephesians 4:1-6

The Scripture Text

After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a multitude followed Him, because they saw the signs which He did on those who were diseased. Jesus went up into the hills, and there sat down with His disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up His eyes, then, and seeing that a multitude was coming to Him, Jesus said to Phillip, “How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” This He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?” Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place; so the men sat down, in number about five thousand. Jesus then took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, He told His disciples, “Gather up the fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign which He had done, they said, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!”

Perceiving then that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, Jesus withdrew again to the hills by Himself. (John 6:1-15 RSV)

Today’s Gospel story of the little boy who gave away his lunch occurred in Tiberias, the beautiful resort city on the west bank of the Sea of Galilee. It was during the Paschal season and Jesus saw a great crowd approaching. They reminded Him of the vast congregation that followed their God out of Egypt twelve centuries earlier, who were fed in the desert each morning with bread from heaven. Now looking at Philip, standing nearby, Jesus asked his opinion about feeding these tired people with bread. Philip replied that the idea was simply impractical.

Having overheard the conversation, a small boy, perhaps ten years old, told the apostle Andrew that Jesus could have his lunch if that would help. Andrew smiled politely at the youth’s naivete, yet was impressed with his “foolish” generosity. He finally felt compelled to relate the boy’s offer to Jesus. “But what are they among so many?” he quickly added, lest he sound ridiculous. Surprisingly, Jesus was pleased with the offer. He accepted the gift and proceeded to use it to feed 5000 men, not counting women and children.

The gift was insignificant, but what gift isn’t, when offered to God, owner of the universe? It’s not the size or value of the gift that’s important, but the love and spontaneity with which it’s given. Remember how Jesus was impressed by the widow’s penny in the collection basket? He openly marvelled at the rich faith attached to her small gift.

The Lord does wonders with simple offerings, given in genuine love. Big gifts presented to His name – for tax deductions or to impress others – don’t seem to capture His delicate attention. We all have many small but beautiful gifts we can offer. Who can’t afford to give a few minutes of prayer to Him each day? Some possess talents for special services like reading at the Sunday liturgy, leading songs, playing the organ, teaching Sunday schools, working as Eucharist minister, or assisting the crippled. There are hundreds of valuable voluntary services (gifts) we can offer. Our freewill donation in the collection envelope is another example of an offering to the Lord. Remember that no gift is too small or useless if given in the proper spirit.

Common bread is multiplied spiritually to feed a hungry soul. The Lord can change a simple jar of water to wine (John 2:1-11); a cup of wine to His own life-giving blood (Matthew 26:27-28; Luke 22:20). Add His blessings to little gifts (a few loaves and two fish) and there’s enough for all.

The small boy who because of his generosity gave up his lunch, now had more that he could eat. It’s a minor miracle to fill a ten year old, but Jesus does not leave His friends hungry. Let us imagine ourselves seeing the Lord sent home His newly discovered young friend with a couple baskets of leftovers. What you give away, you’ll get back many times. Jesus is never outdone in generosity.

Short Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are never cheap with us! You pay back a hundredfold the little we offer! Amen.

July 26, 2015

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 2 Kgs 4:42-44

Responsorial Psalm Ps 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18

Reading 2 Eph 4:1-6

Alleluia Lk 7:16

Gospel Jn 6:1-15

Year B

Feeding of the five thousand

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

What Are Your Five Loaves and Two Fishes? A Homily for the 17th Sunday of the Year

St. Joachim and St. Anne

Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Daily Readings for: July 26, 2015
(Readings on USCCB website)

RECIPES

ACTIVITIES

PRAYERS

LIBRARY

Meditation: John 6:1-15

Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion:

July 26, 2015

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 2 Kgs 4:42-44

Responsorial Psalm Ps 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18

Reading 2 Eph 4:1-6

Alleluia Lk 7:16

Gospel Jn 6:1-15

Year B

Feeding of the five thousand

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

What Are Your Five Loaves and Two Fishes? A Homily for the 17th Sunday of the Year

St. Joachim and St. Anne

Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Daily Readings for: July 26, 2015(Readings on USCCB website)

RECIPES

ACTIVITIES

PRAYERS

LIBRARY

Meditation: John 6:1-15

Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion:

Daily Readings for: July 26, 2015
(Readings on USCCB website)