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Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 30, 2000
A man came from Baal-shalishah bringing the man of God twenty
barley loaves made from the first fruits, and fresh grain in the ear.
"Give it to the people to eat," Elisha said. But his servent objected,
"How can I set this before a hundred men?" "Give it to the people to eat,"
Elisha insisted. "For thus says the LORD, 'They shall eat and there
shall be some left over.'" And when they had eaten, there was some
left over, as the LORD has said.
Second Reading--(Ephesians 4:1-6) GODs Free Children in Christ
I mean that as long as the heir is not of age, he is no
different from a slave, although he is the owner of everything, but he
is under the supervision of guardians and administrators until the date
set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were not of age,
were enslaved to the elemental powers of the world. But when the
fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of woman, born
under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive
adoption. As proof that you are children, GOD sent the spirit
of his Son into our hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father". So you are
not longer a slave but a child and if a child then also an heir, through
God.
Gospel Reading--(John 6:1-15) Multiplication of the Loaves
After this, Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee
[of Tiberias]. A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs
he was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and
there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover
was near. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was
coming to him, he said to Phillip, "Where can we buy enough food for them
to eat?" He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he
was going to do. Phillip answered him, "Two hundred days' wages worth
of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little [bit].
One of his disciples, Andrew the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, "There
is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are
these for so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people recline."
Now there was aa great deal of grass in that place. So the men recliined,
about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,
and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the
fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to
his disciples, "Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will
be wasted." So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets
with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they
could eat. When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, "This
is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world." Since
Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king,
he withdrew again to the mountain alone.
Pastor's Message: Difference
Surely, it makes a world of difference as to whether you hear
an insect in your bedroom at night or in your backyard during the day.
Behavior scientists claim that there is as much difference between
each individual and their own self as there is between that same individual
and a completely different person altogether. And there is a very obvious
difference
between a person who is looking for a job and one who is looking for work.
Perhaps the major difference between ourselves and other people
is that so very often their money looks bigger and their problems appear
smaller. The natural difference between cows and babies is that
cows drink water to make milk while babies drink milk to make.... And sometimes
there is a big difference between having a good time and having
a time that is good. But always, the difference between gossip and
news actually depends on whether you are telling it or hearing it. And
how frequently the main difference between two men is a woman. Perhaps,
the primary difference between marriage and divorce is that when
a couple marries they settle-down, but when a couple divorces they settle-up.
THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE (1951) was based
on the classic novel by Stephen Crane. It starred Audie Murphy, and is
a moving study of Americans fighting Americans and the reluctance many
of them brought to this awesome, awful task. Audie Murphy portrays a youth
who experiences his very first combat and is absolutely guilt stricken
by his own lack of courage under hostile fire. But when he subdues his
panic and turns from flight and goes back into the battle, he then discovers
he is capable of very courageous action. This story effectively highlights
the fine difference between the boy and the man, between the hero
and the coward contained in the one and the very same human being.
As believers in Jesus Christ, we are expected to make a real
difference
in other people's lives. Whether we take a little time to attentively,
supportively listen to someone who dearly needs a person to talk to, or
we share some of our money or expertise with a friend in need, it makes
a real difference. If we can make a difference for another
just one time a week, that comes to 52 times a year. If everyone who belongs
to Good Shepherd Parish could make a difference for somebody else
52 times each year, countless good would be done. And if everyone on the
planet could make a difference for others, what a wonderful world
this would surely then be. Our Maker has given each of us various talents
and abilities to be used for our own good, as well as for the welfare of
others. And usually, we do good for ourselves whenever we do good for others.
Like that kid in our gospel with the loaves and the fishes. What a difference
he made for thousands of very hungry people because he was willing to share
his meager lunch with them. Jesus teaches us that God really needs us.
God's way is always to work through human beings. Always He inspires people
to give of themselves and to do good for others. Let's not come to the
end of our lifetime and be haunted by thoughts of how we could have made
a real difference in other people's lives, but we selfishly chose
not to get involved. What shameful thoughts!
.
Fr. George Griffin