A Greater Hunger

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time Aug. 2, 2009 (Jn 6:24-35)

Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."

Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"

Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

"Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

The Gospel today tells us that the people were looking for Jesus. This happened after the miracle of the multiplication of bread and fish wherein more than five thousand were able to eat. Jesus frankly told them that they were looking for Him only because they were able to eat, not because of the miracle they witnessed (Jn 6:26).

The people's search for Christ symbolizes the people's search for God. From the very beginning of his life, man has been searching for someone who can provide all that he needs in order to live. Since he met God and realized His power, man has been in pursuit of Him. Man searches for God because he needs Him.

This immature faith is rampant throughout Christianity. Many of us call on God only in times of material need. We only see God as the Great Provider of our necessities in life. This faith is immature and can easily crumble when faced with difficulties. If this is the kind of faith of all Christians, no Christian would be found among the poor.

When the Jews who were hungry approached Him, Jesus revealed to them a greater hunger which they often neglect. This is the hunger of the soul. Every soul longs for God's embrace but this yearning is neglected because of physical hunger and of the hunger for worldy things.

Jesus did not correct our perception of God as Provider of our needs. He only wanted us to direct our attention to the greater reason why we needed God. Indeed, we need Him in order to live in this world, but for how long will we live here? More than for our survival here on earth, we need God to save our souls, to nourish us with the bread which gives eternal life.

Jesus says that He is the life-giving bread. In receiving Him, we can want nothing more. Let us first seek the life that He gives to our souls. Let us establish a good relationship with Him. Let us prioritize the hunger of our soul and He will provide us with everything else we could ever need (Mt 6:33). Only in Him can we find rest for our hearts ("Confessions" by St. Augustine of Hippo), and in accepting Him, we receive eternal life where we will never go hungry nor thirsty (Jn 6:35)

Repeating the Miracle of Multiplication

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 26, 2009 (Jn 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.

In the Gospel last Sunday, Jesus showed concern for the people by giving them what they hungered for - the Word of God. In today's Gospel, Jesus provides them with food for the body. This shows us the basic truth that God did not only create us; He sustains us. This is expressed in the common saying, "God provides." Indeed, He provides for all our needs, be it physical or spiritual

Great hunger and deprivation of the basic needs in life cause many to doubt that God provides. But the truth is, God has provided and is still providing for us. Jesus tells us that the ravens do not sow, reap and store food, but they are fed by the Father. He said that we are worth more than birds, implying that the Father would also provide for us (cf. Lk 12:24). Everything we need is being given us. The problem is that some people possess God's graces, fewer people possess them in abundance, while a lot more are deprived of them. Society does not require those who have to give to those who do not have. This is why many of those who have opt not to share.

Sometimes, when we wish to share to those in need, we are discouraged by the fact that sharing the little that we have cannot fill all who are hungry. We think our help does only a little good. But we should realize that sharing is still sharing and a little help is still help.

Many scholars say that in the Gospel narrative, there was really no miracle of multiplication of bread; there was only a miracle of inspiration. When the young boy offered the little that he had, the others were inspired to also share what they had. Thus, everyone was filled and there were still some left over. This supports the fact that, indeed, everything we need has been with us and has been provided for us all along, and that all it takes to end hunger is sharing.

When we share, we become bread for others, just as Jesus became bread for us. We become the distributors of what God has provided. We become instruments of giving to others what is rightfully theirs. Yes, what we share from our abundance is not ours; it belongs to those who need them.

Sharing will also inspire others to do the same. When we share, we inspire the people around us to be bread for others too. In doing so, we become the little boy who inspired five thousand people in today's narrative. Therefore, when we share, we repeat the miracle of the multiplication of bread. Ultimately, sharing will put an end to world hunger.