Sunday, July 27, 2003
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings:
2 Kings 4: 42-44: They ate and had plenty left over, as the Lord had said
Responsorial:   Psalm 144
Ephesians 4: 1-6: Maintain the unity of the Spirit with the bond of peace
John 6:1-15: Multiplication of loaves

Many people went out of their way to listen to Jesus. Whenever they came from a distance, they wisely packed a few days' provisions. The man who worked such spectacular signs and miracles fascinated them. Jesus seizes the moment to teach his listeners a lesson. He begins by asking Phillip to estimate how much money was needed to buy bread to feed the multitude. Phillip tells him that the cost would exceed six months' wages. However, Andrew tells Jesus that there is a boy with five barley loaves and two fish, but how can these feed the hungry crowd? It is the same question that the servant asked of Elisha.

Jesus intends to teach an important lesson: The dynamic of God’s Kingdom is revealed in the creative energy of sharing. All the money in the world can never buy enough food to feed a hungry crowd. The problem must be resolved by sharing, not consumerism.

The dynamic of the capitalistic world is money, only money. We believe that money can accomplish all things. We try to convert everything into paper currency. We put a price tag not only on natural resources, but also on human resources and human values, such as, love, friendship, service, justice, faith, sisters and brothers living in harmony, etc. In capitalism, nothing is ever given gratuitously; everything has its price. We have forgotten that life comes about through pure grace, through God's pure gift.

In this multiplication of loaves and fish, Jesus begins with what people have in their possession at that moment in time. The miracle is not so much the multiplying of food, but rather the change that occurs within the hearts of Jesus' listeners. Spellbound by Jesus' word, they put their selfishness aside. One by one, they reach into what is still left in their provisions. They marvel when they see food multiplied, with abundant leftovers. Now they understand. When people are hungry and needy, it is due not so much to situational poverty, but rather to the selfishness of men and women, who hold on to what they have without concern for those in need. Willingness to share was an essential characteristic of life in the early communities that followed Jesus. The sharing of bread became the gesture that maintains and prolongs life. That is how early Christians experienced Passover and resurrection. In the breaking of bread, communities discovered a new presence of the risen One.

Paul's insight in the second reading deserves our attention: If we are children of the same Father, it is incredible that so many men and women must live in extreme poverty, while others, who live in abundance, don't even know how to spend what they have. In today's world, so much money is invested in war, in space capsules that orbit the earth, in programs to lose weight. Those who have capital create unjust conditions that become progressively worse as they strive to make more money by exploiting dwindling natural resources, ruining everything in their path, and destroying conditions essential for life on the planet. No human being should die from hunger, because the earth is a sufficient home for us all. Christians should not forget how to share. The ability to share is precisely how we authenticate ourselves as brothers and sisters, and acknowledge that we are children of the same live-giving God. Food willingly shared is food joyfully multiplied, with plenty of leftovers. When the multitude see what Jesus did, they try to proclaim him king, but he escapes to the mountain for prayer and solitude.

For personal consideration:

- Our complicated factions and divisions are no roadblock for God. God's own Spirit guides, moves and energizes us. Do I see the differences that we may have between us as Spirit-given wealth that can enable us to join in efforts to build unity? Or do I prefer a shallow uniformity that kills the plurality of gifts?

- In the desert, Moses, who was unable to feed people, was forced to turn to God for help. Only Jesus is able to feed a hungry crowd, so that all who believe in him may not be lost, but rather attain an imperishable life. Do I nourish my life with the bread of money, fame, and comfort, or with the bread of service?

For the community’s consideration:

- In a time of widespread famine, Elisha, servant of the Lord, confiscates the bread offered in sacrifice to the Lord to feed starving people who have turned to God. The prophet’s vocation is to announce God's word to the people. But Elisha must first attend to the needs of people who must eat to remain alive. Is our priority to give others the bread of the word, or the word of bread? Can the dialectic between material and spiritual hunger ever resolve our intense divisions and opposing factions? With that in mind, what do you think of the materialism in Matthew 25, 31ff?

For the Prayers of the Faithful:

- For the entire Church, that we can find ways to feed all who hunger and thirst for justice. Let us pray.

- For leaders of every nation, that they make it their priority to help those most in need. Let us pray.

- For children dying of starvation, may their sacrifice stimulate us to join forces in the battle to end hunger. Let us pray.

- For all Christians, that we never forget our calling to be proactive as we promote life, love, justice and hope. Let us pray.

- For our community, that we faithfully follow Jesus' example in our struggle to meet the needs of people. Let us pray.

Let Us Pray

Life-giving God, you protect all who trust in you. Give us the daily bread that feeds our body, so that we may be strengthened in our efforts to build up your Kingdom. Give us the bread of your word, which enlightens us to see the true meaning of our lives. This we ask, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.