We will miss the richness of Jesus actions and intentions if we immediately refer this gospel to the Eucharist as we understand it today. It certainly prefigures the Eucharist but Jesus had his own reason why he multiplied the bread. When Jesus works a miracle we must not focus on the miracle but we should rather ask why is Jesus performing miracles.
The bible episodes like the gospel today reveals to us Jesus’ wonderful example of concern for the welfare of human beings especially the poor, the crowd. John depicts Jesus as one who genuinely cared for others, whether or not he knew them or whether or not they liked him. Jesus accepted others of all races: we must remember that among the crowds were gentiles and foreigners.(the centurion and the syro-phoenician woman) and from all backgrounds as children of God who are so loved by God and to learn to behave like God, and that they need to respect one another as children of God.
If Jesus saw them thirsty he wanted to give them water. If he saw them hungry he wanted to feed them. If he saw them in prison he wanted to visit them. If he saw them doing harm to themselves or to one another, he wanted to save them from themselves and from one another.
Jesus miracles are signs of the Messiah but it is more important for us, Christians to know the kindness of Jesus so that we, in turn, may be kind to one another and to everyone else who come our way. Jesus wanted to give us life to its fullest but unfortunately we do not know how.
Another aspect of the miracle is that the person to whom Jesus performs the miracle must cooperate. That is why some Sundays ago we heard how Jesus could not work miracles in his own town because they did not have faith. Jesus also knew that this crowd came to see him that he may give them bread – a handout if you will. God does not make miracles for us without our cooperation in faith.
There is another aspect we easily forget. When Jesus works miracles for the crowd, the many people which is the symbol of society, Jesus asks our help even if we could give only very little. Even if it is only a loaf of bread or fish. We cannot simply stand by and watch. We have our part to do as his followers and we follow his actions and care for others. When we cooperate with Jesus in the service of others our small contribution becomes very large and many benefit from it and even beyond what they need like the miracle in today’s’ gospel. Our smallness, our littleness, our so ordinary life, even our meager resources, like that of the widow who gave her 2 pennies, will multiply in the hands of Jesus.
In Jesus our insignificant life becomes a power in the world today. Christians must believe in this because if we don’t we are wasting our time here. Mary, in her lowliness, brought for the savior of the world. True believers in Jesus ought to reach out and help build our society instead of just being spectators and be complacent saying I have not done anything wrong or worse to be criticizing and hating others. Christians live not for themselves alone but for others especially for the Lord. Jesus came into the world seeking and helping the lost children of God. Our life has a purpose. We give the little we have to Jesus and with Jesus we will transform our society and our community. In our spiritual growth it is necessary to fall into a good habits and just as we fall into bad habits. There should be a constant awareness and practice of responding to the needs of others. It is not enough to say to oneself that I know this is what my faith teaches me but its practice is of vital importance. We should not be like Philip who said 2 hundred denarii is not sufficient for so many but like Andrew who said, Lord here we have barley loaves and 2 fishes. This is the test of true faith.
The Eucharist, which means agape which means sharing (of his body and blood) does not make any sense when Christians do not have the spirit of this agape which is sharing. It goes against the very reason of the Eucharist – it is meant for the whole world. It is meant to satisfy the hunger of the world. The Eucharist is to feed the whole of human kind both body and soul. We have a long way to go considering how many people go hungry everyday. Let us not be like Philip who says this is impossible but like Andrew who said here are some loaves and fish here but with your help Lord all things are possible. The Eucharist has a story to tell. It is not as if Catholics woke up one day and holy mother Church gifted them with a dogma and doctrine of the Eucharist. The Eucharist is older in existence than the Catholic church. It tells the story of the passion of Christ for people, his sacrifice of self, his concern for them: to give them hope and most especially to believe in God that as their Father. That believers are called to join the story with Jesus. The Eucharist is the acme of the development of a Christians spirituality: to understand that we should die for others. If this story does not happen to Christians then the Eucharist will judge them at the end of their lives. To come face to face with the reality of the Eucharist one has to go through the passion of Christ. If not, one has turned the Eucharist to a personal piety. That is far away from the intention of Christ.
Homily by Fr Carlos Rodriquez, Sunday, 28 July, 2024