Power of the Ordinary
In today’s Gospel, we hear of John’s account of the feeding the multitudes. Below is an earlier reflection on Luke’s account of the same event. Although some details and wording differ between the two accounts, the overall message is similar. With what is given and offered by the people, Jesus feeds the multitudes with more than enough leftover. I pray the reflection below can give us some food for thought in how we approach our own spiritual lives.
"Give them some food yourselves" Jesus told the Apostles when they asked Him to tell the crowds to go away so that they can go find some food and places to stay. At this the Apostles told Jesus, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people." Jesus then instructed the Apostles to situate and organize the people into groups. Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, raised them up to the Father, blessed them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to pass out to the people. All were fed, all 5000 of them, and there were 12 wicker baskets full of leftovers. Wow.
When the Apostles saw that it was getting late and people, including themselves, were getting tired, they suggested to Jesus to dismiss them so that they could go into the village and buy food and find a place to rest for the night. But Jesus challenged them and said "Give them some food yourselves." Jesus was telling the Apostles that they should be feeding them and giving them rest. This reminds me of when sometimes we hear about a tragedy or people going through difficulties we just feel bad and just move on, presuming that someone in better hands might take care of those people. When we feel that we do not have the adequate or necessary means we choose to "pass it on" or "pass it over" to other people, rather than "paying it forward." The Apostles only had five loaves of bread and two fish, enough only for a small group of people, and they figured they won't be able to feed everyone, and they presumed Jesus would agree and would dismiss the people to go find food themselves. But to their surprise, Jesus didn't. Instead, Jesus told them to give them food themselves, with what they have. The Apostles were only thinking of what they themselves could do, for they did not think that it really is God working through them. When the Apostles offered their five loaves and two fish, Jesus took it, blessed it, and broke it, multiplying the offering and transforming it into something the Apostles never thought possible - feeding 5000 with five loaves and two fish with more than enough food. Likewise, when we offer what we have, no matter how little, and give it to Jesus, He will take it to the Father, bless it, and change it into something bigger, something that will meet the needs of those whom we have been called to serve.
We do not have the power to do anything spectacular like what happened with the five loaves and two fish, but Jesus can. And, Jesus works through us, but we must offer what we have, fully confident that He will transform it into something amazing. So, we do not need to be wealthy or well off to do great things. For God created us to do great things, and it is He who does it through us. We only need to do what we can and offer what we have, and God will turn that into something we could never have imagined possible. Today the Lord is challenging us to trust that He will take whatever it is that we have to offer and turn it into something amazing. Will we rise to the occasion?
Father, I can not do anything on my own for all the good that I do is done by You through me. Thank you for choosing me, an imperfect instrument, to bear witness to Your glory and perfection. Teach me and remind me always that I do not need to have all the answers to do something. All I need to do is to do what I can and trust that You will turn that into more than sufficient.
