17th Ordinary
July 26, 2009
Feed Them With Your “Little”
by Paul Rooney
2 Kgs 4:42-44; John 6:1-15
Today we hear two important stories about “feeding” hungry people. The Prophet Elisha, in the First Reading, told someone who had only a “little” to offer to “feed the people.” Then in the Gospel we hear that Jesus takes the “little” that a young boy had to offer, and “fed the people” who numbered about 5,000 men. Notice how God uses other willing folks to accomplish a good thing. In both stories, the “good thing” was taking care of physical hunger.
But the “signs” or “miracles” in John’s gospel always point to a different and deeper reality – to the divine identity of Jesus. John always gives us “Clues” to follow. In this case, Jesus goes up a “mountain,” he feeds 5,000 hungry folks, and he mentions the Feast of Passover. All three of those Clues would have reminded his community about the Exodus event: Moses going up Mt. Sinai; God feeding the people (both with the Law and with Manna in the desert); and the Passover event that set the Israelites free from slavery.
So as you put yourself in the story, which person would you become? The person being fed? Certainly that is a very appropriate topic to reflect about, because Jesus does indeed take care of our Physical needs. We Always need to remember that All we receive is “gift” from the bounty of a loving God. We especially remember that at our prayer time before every meal.
But there is still another “need” that is filled by Jesus, and that is our Spiritual need. This is sometimes the part that can be more difficult for folks. We just do Not stop with the event at the “story level.” Instead, we have to reflect on the Word of God, and see the deeper significance for us today. That would lead us first to the spiritual level. But then it would lead us to make a decision, to “choose,” all at the level of practical application . After all, the Gospel ALWAYS makes an ethical demand on us; it demands that we Do something.
Do you think you are being called to “feed” others, just like Jesus? I know that most of you have a priority of making contributions to the poor, through the Church collections. That helps towards taking care of the Physical needs of the disadvantaged. But what about “feeding” them Spiritually? How can you do that? I would like to suggest a few ways for you to consider, because God does indeed want to use You to help Him feed the spiritual hunger of his people.
First, think about what happened this month in several locations in the Midwest. As one example: 5,000 teenagers gathered in Springfield, MO this month for a Steubenville Youth Retreat. They came back all "fired up" with love for Jesus, bubbling over with great witness stories, and have begun their Personal Relationship with Jesus – clearly the only thing that matters for anyone!
What does that have to do with you? Well, a lot of teens could not go, simply because their parents did not have the money. But many parents and grandparents did provide the funding, so that these 5,000 teens could be “fed” by Jesus. Some were from our own parish, and they were enabled to go and find out for themselves about “Who” it was that "fired up" the earliest disciples at Pentecost. One teen later witnessed on radio KVSS that the best Christmas present she got was from her grandpa, who funded the trip for her. They all came back with a new motto that they are now living out: "no bible, no breakfast; no bible, no bed." What a wonderful way to begin and end the day – letting God speak to you from his inspired words in scripture! So: Perhaps you could fund a trip for a child or grandchild from our parish next summer? Or for a teen unrelated to you? Talk to our Youth Minister about this.
A second thing you can do is “get fired up” yourself about God’s holy word! We are “hosting” the Catholic Biblical School right here at our parish, for four consecutive years, beginning this September. Come and Learn with us! It is easier to “feed” someone else’s spiritual hunger, if you first feed your own! We have an Excellent program to offer to you for this purpose. If you have never heard about it before, then come to the Information Night on August 4 (read the Bulletin about that). Come, and learn why our Teens can live out their new motto, "no bible, no breakfast; no bible, no bed." God will turn your “little” knowledge of His word into an abundance that will flow over for others!
A third thing you can do is pray Daily for the conversion of all religious and political authorities, a conversion to God’s way of doing things. Your offer to God of your “little” prayers, when combined with those of everyone else here, becomes a powerful super-abundance. God answers prayers, and a request to Him that he stir up and “feed” the unrecognized spiritual hungers of our politicians, would be a worthy prayer that accords with His will!
Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises. He feeds our Physical hunger with his blessings; All is indeed grace, All is gift. But he also feeds our Spiritual hunger, and wants Us to use the “little that we have” to continue His work of “feeding” others. So take home that thought about what you can “do,” when you hear the final dismissal at the end of Mass, to “go in peace, to love and serve the Lord.”
Mary Our Queen Parish
Omaha, Nebraska