SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY OF YEAR "B"

SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR "B

 

Cycle “B”: John 6, 1- 15: Feeding of the multitude

 St. John the evangelist offers us a familiar scene – Jesus hotly pursued by a crowd eager for signs and wonders. They, like all of us, have their needs. One of their needs is for food. Jesus sees this and presents his disciples with a unique challenge. Philip’s astonishment is understandable. In modern parlance, he must tell Jesus, “You must be joking.” Being a practical man, Philip does some arithmetic and lets the numbers do the talking: “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” The other disciple, Andrew, clearly an optimist clutching at straws, suggests that five barley loaves and two fish might do for a start. John the evangelist counted 5,000 men. But even those days’ women were not about to let husbands wander by themselves about the countryside unattended. So there were women and children in attendance. We are talking in the game park of 15,000 people.

St. John obviously did not think that wives and girlfriends were important enough to mention. But the record down the centuries shows women as much interest in the Teacher as men. Two thousand years later, though, the Teacher still remains an enigma wrapped in a mystery. He hasn’t lost his touch. He brings millions together around the globe each week to be fed by him. You get the feeling that he is here to stay, don’t you ? Today’s miracle, in fact, was the sign or foreshadowing of the Holy Eucharist that Jesus would institute later.

But at the moment it is the Christ who brings up the point that this restless mob must be hungry. To feed a vast crowd without hard cash or catering expertise is the mother of all conundrums ! But he answers the riddle and proves once again that he is interested not only in life after death but also in life before death. He wants every mother’s child of us to have two squares in the here and now. This is a Bread and Roses Jesus.

The Master, like any Chief Executive Officer, wants his employees to be problem solvers. But only Andrew is smart enough to work the crowd looking for food. He locates that nameless small youngster with open mouth and running nose who was having thoroughly squashed bread and suspicious looking fish stuffed in his pockets. This was the little fellow’s lunch and he was giving all he had. Wily Andrew did not want to hurt’s the little boy’s feelings, even though the mob are pointing at him and poking fun. But not so the Christ ! He accepts the boy’s gifts with proper ceremony and gratitude. He invites his guests to draw up a seat on the grass. This is a crowd who not only looks for something for nothing but also wants it gift-wrapped. Only the pint-sized kid remains on his feet. His eyes were large as saucers, because he was wondering what this strange man with massive hands was going to do with his lunch.

 

The people looked in disbelief at the soggy pieces of bread and definitely dead fish. They ask, “Master, are you pulling our leg ?” Jesus replied, “This lad has done his bit. Now let me take over.” The Nazarene took the squashed loaves and turned them into WONDERBREAD. They divide till every belly in the field is filled with delicious tuna sandwich. Had a TV anchorperson been there, he would have recorded Jesus holding up the little runny nose fellow and saying, “I want all of you to be as generous as this boy.”

I always wondered what happened finally to that little unnamed kid. Did he grow up to become the original Nahaum in the Capharnaum New Market and helped the original Little Sisters of the Poor ? Quite likely, though I’m not quite sure, But what you and I are quite sure of is that when we offer the little we have to Jesus, he makes something big and beautiful out of it, and in the process transforms us into people like himself.

 

 

 

PRAYER: [Here is a prayer composed by Charles de Foucould who was killed by the Tuaregs in Algeria in 1916. Chalres de Foucould was a French cavalry officer who became a Trappist monk, lived in the desert serving the Tuaregs who finally assassinated him.]

Give us this day our daily bread. You desire me, O Lord, to look to you for my every need. And in looking to you, I know that you will provide me with bread to eat, clothes to wear, and a place to rest. But it is not only material bread which you provide; you give also spiritual bread. Whenever I eat the bread of Holy Communion, I am reminded that your Son gave his body to die on the cross, to give me spiritual food for all eternity. And in this phrase, I note that it is not ‘me’ for whom I pray, but ‘us.’ You do not want me ever to pray selfishly, but always to pray for others’ needs, because only through such mutual charity do I become fit to receive the true bread of eternal life. Surrounded by a crowd of over 5,000 in a remote location, Jesus asked Philip how all the people could be fed. It was a test of Philip's faith; and the prelude to important teaching to the disciples about how Jesus is the essential source of life for those who want eternal life - the Bread of Life (John 6:25-59). Philip's answer could have expressed faith in Jesus, or focussed on the practical logistics of finding supplies as there were no towns close by; but instead, he calculated the cost per mouthful!

 

 

Jesus did not need advice or helpful suggestions, but Philip needed the challenge to think differently about divine resources. His background as a trader in Bethsaida gave him a keen sense of cost, but his answer showed that he had little idea about the value of having Jesus in charge. It was a significant test of what mattered to Philip: he understood money, but not the power of God in being able to provide for the needs of so many. So he could offer no suggestion about how the people might be fed.

 

Often, those with experience of 'doing deals' or finance tend to develop a way of thinking that is 'resource limited'. They focus on what they have and what it would cost to have more. However, although it is important for those involved with gospel ministry to be wise and prudent, the Bible teaches us that God is always greater than our resources. His work done in His way will always receive full provision. The test for us is to see if we move ahead in faith or stop when we can no longer control the situation by our own efforts and supplies. The Lord will always include a test about resources at least once, and often many times, in a Christian's life. As John's narrative will show, the Lord will always provide for His work: and we need to trust Him to be the provider.

 

Prayer:  All-powerful God. Thank You that You always have abundant resources for whatever You choose to do. I am sorry when I get worried and upset when I cannot see how Your work will be supplied. Please help me to trust You as You put me to the test, taking me out of my comfort-zones and teaching me how to trust You in the practical things of life. And help me to encourage my Christian brothers and sisters to be confident that You will meet their needs too, and provide for the work they do for You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

 

 

Andrew had found a little food; but rightly thought it would not feed 5,000 people. So instead of seeing its value in the hands of Jesus, Andrew thought it was virtually useless. But Jesus knew otherwise. He got His disciples to seat the crowd on the grass in groups (Mark 6:40); and they obeyed, even though they did not know what would happen next. Then Jesus said the Jewish prayer of thanksgiving for the food (Christians call this prayer before meals 'grace').

 

The next thing they knew was that Jesus was dividing the loaves and the fish, multiplying them so that there was more than enough for everybody to eat. It was a miracle: nobody knew how He did it, but all four gospel writers record what happened. And we know it was not a parable because, later, Jesus rebuked the crowd for simply looking for a free meal (John 6:26). But Jesus intended the miracle to be more than humanitarian aid; He wanted it to be a sign of His divine authority and life-giving power.

 

Naturally we cannot see further than what we know or possess. Practically, our imagination is tethered by our experience or the experience of others. But this miracle shows us that Jesus is not limited at all, because of who He is - the Son of God. Jesus the Lord is able to do anything! As 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." Which is why the Apostle Paul writes, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21) As that is so, it is right to praise and worship Jesus, and trust Him to do His work without placing human limitations on Him.

 

Prayer:  Almighty and most loving God. Thank You that You are the only One who can create out of nothing, and greatly multiply what is very small. Forgive me for doubting Your ability to provide and supply the strength to serve You. Please help me to grow in faith, trusting that You will do whatever You have said; and learning that You will provide for the growth of Your kingdom and the needs of Your people according to Your faithfulness. In Jesus' Name. Amen.