Cycle A - Year II:  

3 August 2014: 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical color: Green)

Matthew 14:13-21

The Lord answers all our needs!

When we pray in the "Our Father" that the Lord gives us our daily bread, what do we really mean? Are we asking only for food that satisfies our physical hunger? Do we ask only for things that we need for our day-to-day living?

Perhaps to the poor, putting food on the table preoccupies their daily struggle. Because satisfying their physical hunger for food is a step to liberation from poverty.

The theme of this Sunday's liturgical readings focuses on nourishment. Jesus shows his concern for our temporal needs by feeding the multitude that followed him. Because man is both body and soul while in journey in this world.

According to biblical scholars, Jesus' feeding of the five thousands is the only miracle recorded in all the four Gospel accounts (Luke 9:10-17, Mark 6:34-44, John 6:1-15, and Matthew 14:13-21).

Large crowd continued to follow Jesus, and as evening approached the disciples wanted Jesus to send them away. They were in a deserted place and there was no food provision for such a large and hungry crowd. All that the disciples could find were five loaves of bread and two fish.

Jesus took the little they had -five loaves and two fish- and giving thanks to his heavenly Father, distributed to all until the whole crowd were satisfied of their hunger. And there were twelve baskets full of loaves and fish that were left over.

What is the significance of this miracle?

It shows us the remarkable and overflowing generosity of God and his great kindness to us. The miracle of the multiplication of loaves emanated from the mercy and love of Jesus for the crowd that followed him. Because our Lord Jesus cares for the whole man, body and soul, that he takes care of our physical needs as well, including our hunger for food.

When God gives, he gives abundantly. He gives more than we need for ourselves so that we may have something to share with others, especially those who lack what they need. In other words, God takes the little we have and multiplies it for the good of others. 

And so we ask ourselves: do we trust in God's provision for our need, and do we share freely with others, especially the poor in our midst?

God never fails to nourish our material needs when we do our part and trust him. But Jesus also invites us to work for "food that endures for eternal life" (Jn 6:27). Jesus is referring to his "flesh which is real food" in the Holy Eucharist. For Jesus says: "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst." (Jn 6:35) Do we believe this?

In the Eucharist, let us ask the Lord Jesus beyond our daily necessities and open our hearts to better and lasting blessing that God wants to share with us, our bread of life in Jesus. So that in the midst of life's many challenges and trials, we persevere in faith, even as we acknowledge our total dependence on the Creator for our life and sustenance.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!