July 27, 2024

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Feeding the 5,000

Deacon Nelson Abreu

In 2, out of the 3 readings we just heard, we are made aware of miracles. I do not know if you know this, but in the bible, there are 37 recorded miracles that Jesus did, and I would like to go over each and every one right now in complete detail. (Just kidding)
 
Today though I will focus on only one miracle, the one we just heard in the gospel of John – The Feeding of the 5,000. Did you know that out of the 37 recorded miracles in the bible of Jesus that this feeding of the 5,000 is the only miracle that can be found in all four Gospels -Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Now each Gospel provides a slightly different perspective on this miracle, but the core theme is consistent across all four gospels.
 
Now most of us have heard this story of the feeding of the 5,000 at least once in our lives, if not hundreds of times, but I would like to focus on a humble and often overlooked figure in this miraculous event of the Feeding of the Five Thousand as told in the Gospel of John today—The Boy.      The boy, who had five barley loaves and two fish. Though his role may seem small, his act of courage, trust, faith, and generosity shows and teaches us all a powerful lessons.
 
Imagine a crowd of 5,000 men, plus their wives and their children. So, there was probably more of a crowd of 15,000 to 20,000 plus people here. We see all these people are gathered around Jesus and the disciples, and it is late in the day. The crowd is hungry, and no one has any food, but wait. Through the immense crowd a young boy is making his way through, pushing, shoving, and fighting his way up to Jesus.
 
The boy finally gets to Jesus, then gives Jesus all that he has—five barley loaves and the two fish, not holding anything back for himself. I imagine at this sight that everyone in the crowd, including some of the disciples were laughing and make fun of the boy.
 
Though the Boy’s offering might seem insignificant in the face of such a large crowd though, it was this small act of kindness and generosity that became the foundation for this incredible miracle. This teaches us the importance of our willingness to give what we have, no matter how small, because God can use our humble offerings to accomplish extraordinary things.
 
Consider the boy’s courage and willingness to share his food. In a crowd of thousands, it would have been easy for him to keep his meal to himself, thinking it wouldn’t make a difference. Yet, he offered what he had. His selflessness is a model for us all.
 
The boy’s action also reflects a profound trust in Jesus. He gave his only meal without hesitation or knowing what Jesus would do with it. This mirrors our own call to trust God with our resources, talents, and lives. When we place what we have in Jesus’ hands, Jesus can transform and multiply it in ways we could never imagine
 
The boy’s example also challenges us to be generous with what we have. In our lives, we may encounter situations where our resources or our abilities seem inadequate. However, like the boy, we are called to offer everything we have to God for God doesn’t ask us for what we don’t have; He asks us to give from what we do have, trusting Him to make it sufficient and abundant. So please remember we may feel that our contributions are too small to matter, but God sees and values every act of our generosity.
 
Let us not forget the big picture here and what this miracle points to—the Eucharist—The body and Blood of Christ. Just as Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to the crowd, as He did at the Last Supper instituting the Eucharist, Jesus continues to give Himself to us, nourishing us spiritually even today here shortly at the altar.
 
Let’s us also never forget how blessed we all are that at every one of our masses, we have our amazing, self-giving, loving priest, who take the bread, give thanks, breaks it, and distributes the body and blood of Christ to us. This reminds us all of God’s abundant provision and His desire to be intimately united with us.
 
And Remember No priest -No Mass. So let us always keep our priest in our prayers
 
As we reflect on the boy with the five barley loaves and two fish, let us remember that no gift is too small for God to use.
 
Let us remember the compassion of Jesus, who sees our needs and provides for us abundantly.
 
 Let us trust in Jesus’s power to multiply our humble offerings and use them for His glory.
 
Let us embrace our role as His disciples, bringing our gifts to Him and allowing Him to work through us.
 
And let us find strength and nourishment in the Eucharist, where we encounter the fullness of God’s love and provision.
 
May the Lord bless us all with generous hearts, strong faith, and the courage to offer all that we have for His glory.
 
And May God continue to bless you all today and always - Amen.