The Universal Church celebrates Sunday, July 28, 2024, as the 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B. In the entrance antiphon, we pray: “God is in his holy place, God who unites those who dwell in his house; he himself gives might and strength to his people. Amen.”
The central message of this day’s Eucharist is Christ as the Bread of Life. With the multiplication of the loaves for five thousand people in Saint John’s Gospel of this day, Christ prepares us for the act he will perform on Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday) when he leaves us the Eucharist before his death. But he makes it clear that man does not live by bread alone since he also needs spiritual nourishment, which he can only find in the Church of which he (Christ) is the head. The Old Testament passage, in the first reading, from Second Kings, also tells us of a similar multiplication of bread by the prophet Elisha. A great wonder-worker, the prophet multiplies the bread and asks his servant to distribute it among the people who eat as much as they want, and there are even leftovers. Saint Paul, in the Second Reading from his Letter to the Ephesians, stresses the unity of the Church: one Lord, one faith, one baptism. We are all called to be instruments of unity and missionaries of peace.
In the course of this Eucharist, let us pray for the grace to share the little we have with those who do not have because the little in our Lord’s hands multiplies and feeds many. Jesus is the Bread of Life, the bread that does not only nourish the body but, more importantly, the soul.
First Reading: 2 Kings 4: 42-44.
A man came from Baal-shalishah bringing to Elisha, the man of God, twenty barley loaves made from the first fruits, and fresh grain in the ear. Elisha said, "Give it to the people to eat." But his servant objected, "How can I set this before a hundred people?" Elisha insisted, "Give it to the people to eat." "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 had said.
Comment.
There are two books of Kings in the Bible, commonly known as First and Second Kings. The African Bible tells me that the two Books of Kings cover about four centuries of Israel’s history, marked by three main events: the first is the united monarchy during which time Israel and Judah remained united under Solomon as they had been under Saul and David; the second event is the divided monarchy, from the rebellion of Israel against the rulership of the Judean kings until the Assyrians defeated and took Israel into captivity; and the third is the period of the surviving kingdom, which records Judah’s history from the deportation of Israel to Judah’s own defeat and exile by the Babylonians.
Both Books of Kings serve, therefore, as a record of the kings of both Israel and Judah, showing the decline of the northern and southern kingdoms and pointing out the reasons for this decline and the fate of each king. The sacred author tells the people of Israel in exile in Babylon the reasons for their plight so that they can learn from, and avoid the errors of the past. He instructs the exiles by demonstrating to them that through their kings they have been unfaithful to God’s covenant but that God, far from abandoning Israel, has remained a loyal, patient and compassionate God, slow to anger and quick to forgive and forget.
Two prophets play a significant role in the Books of Kings: Elijah and Elisha, his successor. Elijah is a very courageous man, who does not hesitate to denounce the abuses of power and the violation of justice by those in authority. Like many, even in our own day, who oppose tyranny, he has to flee from the fury of those in power to take refuge in the desert. That is where he receives God’s command to anoint Elisha as his successor. Elisha is important to Elijah because he will carry on his mission. Elisha is to Elijah what Joshua is to Moses, each completing his master’s work.
In the passage selected for our meditation, the prophet Elisha is offered the bread of the first fruits that are normally reserved for God. In this way, he is recognized as a prophet of the Lord. However, because food is scarce, Elisha wants to feed his fellow prophets and orders the bread to be shared, at the same time uttering “They shall eat and have some left”. That is when the miracle happens and all of them eat to their heart’s content. In this way, Elisha anticipates the miracle Jesus is to work in Saint John’s Gospel of this day.
The message to take from this reading is that God always provides for his people. His hands are always open wide to us and, as the Psalmist says, if our eyes are fixed on God, he will give us all that we need in due time. Let us therefore turn to God in all we do this day and he will grant us our heart’s desires. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
Second Reading: Ephesians 4: 1-6.
Brothers and sisters: I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Comment
Over the last two Sundays, we have read from Saint Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. In the previous chapters, Saint Paul talked about the revelation of the “mystery” of Christ, the calling of all people, Jew and Gentile alike, to form a single people, the Church. Today, we read from the second part of this letter which begins with an appeal for unity in the face of increasing factors dividing the church. They are the results of internal discords and the misuse of the different gifts, or charism, that Christ endows us with. Christ acts with full authority in building up his Church, through its various ministries and through the solidarity of its members.
Saint Paul starts by stating a general principle, which is that a Christian’s conduct should be consistent with the calling he has received from God. We are all called to form part of the Church through baptism, and being members of the Church, we have received a call to holiness. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the founder of the Church, expects Church members to strive continually to acquire holiness. And how do we acquire holiness? It is through interior conversion, which calls for charity, humility, and an attitude of brotherly love and generosity towards all. As Saint John Paul II says, charity is basic to the building up of a peaceful human society. The peace which unites Christians is the peace which Christ brings, or rather it is Christ himself. By having the same faith and the same Spirit, we are all brought together in the Church – old and young, poor and rich, adult and child, husband and wife, people of every condition – to become one people in Christ. As Saint John Chrysostom says, “This is a bond which does not restrict us, which unites us closely to one another and does not overwhelm us: it expands our heart and gives us greater joy than we could ever have if we were unattached. He who is strong is linked to the weaker one to carry him and prevent him from falling and collapsing.”
What lesson do I draw from this reading? I hear in this reading the clear words of Matthew, the evangelist, when he says “There can be only one faith; and so, if a person refuses to listen to the Church, he should be considered, so the Lord commands, as a heathen and a publican” (Mt 18:17). So let us pray to the Holy Spirit for the grace of obedience to the teachings of the Church, which has Christ as its head. Lord, grant me humility and brotherly generosity so l can put myself entirely at the disposal of our Church and of our fellow brothers and sisters. I make this supplication through Christ, the risen Lord, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
Gospel acclamation: “Alleluia, alleluia. A prophet has risen in our midst. God has visited his people. Alleluia.”
Gospel: John 6: 1-15.
Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. 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 Philip, "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. Philip answered him, "Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.'" 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 a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, 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.
Comment
In today’s Gospel, we see Jesus blessing bread. A large crowd of Galileans, impressed by the wonders of Jesus’ healings and miracles, has followed him into the hills on the far side of the Lake. At the sight of the crowd, Jesus turns to Philip, who is from the locality, to ask where to get food to feed the people, who have forgotten their hunger as they listen to his teaching. The Apostles are not sure what to do with only a few loaves of bread and two fish. What the disciples soon learn is that Christ is not only resourceful, he himself is the resource. He provides the food out of very little.
When the disciples have had everyone seated on the grass, Christ then takes the bread and the fish the small boy has and works the splendid miracle of the multiplication of bread. In Christ’s hands, shortage becomes abundance, deficiency becomes plenty. When everyone has eaten enough, Christ ensures that nothing is lost. He orders that the pieces be gathered together and Saint John tells us that twelve baskets are filled with the fragments from the bread and fish.
This is a lesson for us, brothers and sisters. Jesus shows us his magnanimity in two ways: first, by giving the people as much as they need to eat, and secondly by making sure that no food is wasted. The grandeur of our Lord’s heart is shown in both the large things – miracles and healings -- and in the small, insignificant but important things of everyday life as well. The gathering of the left-overs is a way of showing us the value of little things done out of the love of God and the importance of not wasting food.
The Gospels tell us that during his years of public ministry, Jesus remained in continual conversation with his Father. He turns to his Father whenever he is about to perform a miracle. He does not break bread without first giving thanks to his Father. This is a lesson to us that all power comes from God, the Father, and that we too should turn to him whenever we need anything. Ask and it shall be given, Christ advises us.
But, how does the crowd react after Christ has fed them? They want to take him by force and make him their king. They are not concerned about their spiritual well-being. Rather, they are thinking of their own stomachs. They want someone who will give them material food whenever they are hungry. Does that not sound familiar to us in Cameroon today, my brothers and sisters? One of the reasons those in positions of power in our country and in our church embezzle the funds entrusted to their care is the unquenchable desire for material things, food being one of them. They think only of their stomachs, failing to hear the grumblings of the empty intestines of their neighbours. That is why we are always fighting for positions of power in our society because of the material rewards that go with them. That is why Christ’s followers want to crown him their king so he will continue to give them food for the body. But Christ is not tempted by any temporal power.
In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, Christ fights a similar temptation from the devil in the desert prior to his public ministry. The devil asks Christ to adore him so he would give him power over the nations of the world (Mt 4: 8-9; Lk 4: 6-7). In today’s Gospel, Saint John presents temptation of a similar nature but coming from the Galilean crowd. But Jesus knows when to run and he does so by hiding in the hills.
Christ is happy to satisfy the hunger of the crowd by offering them the bread of the poor, but he is not happy to satisfy their hunger for power by agreeing to be their king. The hunger for domination is one hunger Christ refuses to satisfy. His lordship is one of service, not domination with its destructive effects seen all around us. Power, which lords it over others, as we see so often in our country, is power that keeps bread away from the hungry; it is power that steals our people’s resources to secure its own authority.
Let us pray for the grace to recognize Christ as Saviour, not as a mere provider of material goods to satisfy our yearning for food that does not last, the food that feeds our physical needs, not the spiritual.
For this, we need the presence of the Holy Spirit to strengthen our faith in Christ Jesus our Lord, who together with the Father in union with the Holy Spirit are one God forever and ever. Amen.
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