Readings - http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/073111.cfm
We, of course, continue to find ourselves in the middle of summer and the middle of Ordinary Time. During the past three Sundays, we’ve heard a number of Jesus’ parables which give us much food to chew on, to reflect on during these lazy hot days when much of the northern hemisphere both here in the U.S. and in Europe is on vacation or at least taking it easy by the pool or on a beach somewhere.
This week, we begin a series of Sundays in which we hear a number of miracle stories associated with Jesus.
And since it is summer, and the Gospel passages that we’ve heard throughout the summer have given us “food for thought,” it is perhaps fitting that _the first_ of these miracle stories that we hear is a “food miracle.” It’s the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and it's a great miracle for the summer-time reflection ;-).
I say this because summer is the time for picnics and gatherings. And who hasn’t worried at least sometime about food during this time? Will the food come? Will there be enough? Will it come out okay? What if someone won’t like it? etc, etc.
And so both the Gospel Reading and really all the Readings this Sunday are about trust in God that “all will turn out well.”
In the 1st Reading, from Isaiah we are reminded again of the need to choose well (perhaps a reminder of last week’s theme) to “not put trust in things that will not satisfy.” But rather to put our trust in God.
In the 2nd Reading, from Romans, a reading that I honestly believe that EVERYBODY should find, cut out and put up on their refrigerator or bathroom mirror for when they need to hear it, St. Paul reminds his readers that NOTHING and NOBODY can separate us from the love of God (so then, why worry about any disaster ...).
Yet all this is well and good but if we find ourselves in an awkward, worrisome situation, this can prevent us from seeing clearly. And so this is where we find the disciples in the Gospel story of today:
Jesus had been preaching all day in a rather deserted place. There were thousands of people there. It was getting late. And the disciples began to worry: “how are we going to feed all these people?”
Jesus tells the disciples, “feed them yourselves.” And they become terrified. They respond that all they have is “five loaves and two fish.” (Incidently, how is that possible. Were they themselves _that stupid_? It would seem that the disciples themselves didn’t have enough food for themselves...).
But Jesus took the opportunity to perform a miracle. He blessed those fish and loaves. And were told that 5,000 men not counting the women and children were fed.
How’d he do that? We don’t know. We’re told that the disciples understood what happened to be a miracle. And a miracle it was, however it happened. A situation that could have ended badly, ended much better than the disciples had feared.
We too, find ourselves in many situations like this. And it makes for an interesting question: How often do we acknowledge the miracle that happened when things turned out better than we feared? Were the resolutions to those situations miracles? God’s answers to our prayers? Honestly ... maybe they were (miracles).
In any case, we are assured that God is indeed with us, that God gives us what we need and especially in that 2nd Reading we are reminded that NOTHING or NOBODY can separate us from God.
So while there is _always_ plenty that one can find to worry about, let’s remember that with God with us all will turn out well... even if someone knocks over the potato salad ;-)
And this all can make for some good ‘food for thought’ as we continue on through this nice lazy summer ... ;-) God bless you all, and have a pleasant coming week!
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