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.

A Look of Mercy, A Glance That Cares

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time July 19, 2009 (Mk 6:30-34)

The Apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them.

When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

In the Gospel today, we see Jesus give value to rest. He wanted His Apostles to rest as they have just returned from their missionary journeys. As disciples of Christ who bring His Word to others, we also need to rest. We need to pray and reflect. We need to have time alone with God to check our relationship with Him.

Jesus, in the Gospel, seeing the people who were like sheep without a shepherd (Mk 6:34), sacrificed His private time and the time of His Apostles in order to teach the great crowd. He knew how much the people were thirsting for God's Word. He had pity on them and He quenched their thirst for the nourishing Word.

As followers of Christ, we also ought to have great concern for our neighbor, especially for those who are in need, physically or spiritually. In these days, we usually look at people, especially those in need, as if they were just "other people". We don't see them as people we need to help, as people who, like us, are in need of God and of His life-giving Word.

This is the problem of our generation - indifference. As long as someone has no direct effect in our lives, as long as we don't need that someone for anything at all, we don't care about him. Jesus, on the other hand, looks upon people with a look of mercy, a glance that cares.

As Christians, we need to cast upon others this look of mercy, this glance that cares. We need to imitate Christ who cares for others, who does not consider the crowd as a great bother, but nourishes them and gives them what they need. We should also imitate the early Christians who sold their possessions in order to help those who are in want (Acts 4:32-35).

This is the mark of true Christians - love and concern for others. This is how we are to show Christ to others - by our love.

Bringing Christ

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time July 12, 2009 (Mk 6:7-13)

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick - no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic.

He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.

So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them."

As Christians, we have the responsibility to proclaim the Good News to others. This mission is not only for the priests or for the religious. We, too, are being sent by God to go and proclaim His Word to others. Truly, we who have received God's Word cannot just keep it ourselves. Such a news ought to be proclaimed to all, so that all may benefit.

This mission is not something we will do alone. This is the mission of the Church. Indeed, in Jewish tradition, the account of two people are given much value. You could very well be ignored if you say something with no one supporting you.

There is more than one way of proclaiming God's Word to others. We are not all called to be ordained ministers, but we are called to practice the prophetic mission we have received in our Baptism. We are not all preachers, but we can be prophets who give witness to Jesus' Words through our everyday living.

Yes, in this mission, we bring nothing, just the bare necessities. But what we bring to the world is something of much importance. We bring the news that the Kingdom of God has come and that all are welcome in the Kingdom. We bring Christ Himself.

In our mission, we are able to work out miracles. We are able to drive out demons when we instruct sinners not to sin anymore. We can cure diseases when we alleviate the pain of others. We bring them Christ whom they have not seen before.

Welcoming Our Divine Visitor

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time July 5, 2009


(Mk 6:1-6)

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.

Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house."

So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

God became man because He loved mankind and He desired to save them. This is the very story of Christianity. God is too awesome for man to behold. Israel in the Old Testament once said, "If I hear the voice of the Lord my God anymore, or ever again see this great fire, I will die" (Deut 18:16). God, therefore, wanting to save His people, humbled Himself by becoming ordinary, by becoming man. In Jesus, we have a God we can see and hear, a God we can talk to face to face, a God who walks among us, indeed, a God who has visited His people (Lk 7:16).

The problem is that we still look at God as someone high on the pedestal, as someone over the clouds, as "the guy up there". This is probably why Jesus' own people did not accept Him. They were looking for a great God, an awesome God. For them, Jesus was only a carpenter, an ordinary member of their community. They, therefore, rejected their Divine Visitor.

Indeed, it is difficult to understand the humility of God. But we know that God's motive is always for us to be saved.

Sometimes, we become like Jesus' own people. We fail to see God in the ordinary and in the lowly. We don't see God in our neighbor anymore. We don't see Him in the poor, in the sick and in the marginalized. Even in ourselves, we don't see God. We think that God is only in the church.

Jesus said, "I am with you always... (Mt 28:20)". He addressed this to every one of His disciples, even to us. Therefore, we need to recognize that God is in us, that God is in our neighbor, as He also said, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" (Mt 25:40).

Also, like Jesus' own people, we judge others as if we know them enough. We dictate who our neighbors are supposed to be through stereotypes. We therefore render our neighbors unable to improve, unable to be greater than who they are now. We need to admit that we don't know enough to judge our neighbors.

God, in His great love, has come down for us. Let us not look for Him in the skies, for we cannot fly there through our own efforts. Let us just accept Jesus and welcome Him in our hearts. Let us be hospitable to the God who visits us in many ways. Let us recognize His presence in the people around us, in everything we do, even in the ordinary events of our lives.

Trusting in God who Makes Us Whole

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time June 28, 2009 (Mk 5:21-43)

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the lake. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him, he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live. ” He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him.

There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” Immediately, her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.

Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?”

But his disciples said to him, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.

He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”

While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?”

Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.

When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was.

He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.

When we are faced with problems, we often try to do everything within our power to solve them. We ask for favors from all the people we can come to and we exhaust all the resources we have. But sometimes, we forget to do one important thing - we forget to pray and to cast all our cares upon God.

The woman in the Gospel today spent all her money for medication, but to no avail. She had no one else to ask help from. So, when she heard of Jesus, she just had to come to Him. It is quite astonishing that what doctors failed miserably to cure was cured just by one touch of faith. The woman did not even get to touch Jesus. She only touched His cloak and she was healed because of her great faith.

Had the woman heard of Jesus before, and had she had the chance of touching His cloak earlier, she would have come to Him first. She would not have suffered for twelve years. Nevertheless, her story teaches us that God is more powerful than men - much more powerful, at that. We should trust in God much more than we trust ourselves and others. Unlike the woman, we know Jesus, and He Himself invited us to cast our burdens upon Him (cf. Mt 11:28). We should, therefore, have recourse to Him in our needs, not completely relying on our own power or on that of others.

“Do your best, and God will do the rest,” a saying goes. We can do many great things, for God has equipped us with the ability to do so. Nevertheless, trying to succeed without God’s help is futile. Yes, we can do great things and fight our battles. But without God, we always come up short.

Work and prayer go hand in hand. Indeed, we can never accomplish anything if we do not work. But, if we think that doing something is enough, we are mistaken. By ourselves, we can do nothing. But we can do everything through Christ who is our strength (cf. Phil 4:13).

Only in God can we ever hope for triumph over our problems, for healing and salvation. We see in today’s Gospel that Jesus was able to raise Jairus’ daughter. From the people, we only hear, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer” (Mk 5:35), and also weeping and wailing. But from Jesus, we hear, “Do not be afraid; just have faith” (v. 36) and “The child is not dead but asleep” (v. 39). Jesus was a ray of hope amidst the wailing and the ridicule of the crowd. Of course, He was the only one who could do something to help Jairus. In the same way, we only hear from the people around us how impossible our situations are, how our efforts are useless. But in God, we have hope. He blesses our efforts and completes our shortcomings. He makes us whole.

God is a gracious and merciful God. He heals and saves the souls who cling to Him and put their trust in Him. Who, but God alone, can we cling to for mercy and salvation? As the psalmist proclaims, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in mortals. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in princes” (Ps 118:8-9).

Our Destination and Companion

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time June 21, 2009 (Mk 4:35-41)

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

Life is full of problems. In fact, it is said that it is impossible for anyone not to have any problems at all. This is why life is often described as a journey. We encounter danger after danger until we reach our destination. Yes, such is the difficulty of life that we need a companion to help us go through it all.

As Christians, we believe that our destination and companion in life is but one person – God. We come from God and we shall return to God. But He, in His great love for us, does not just wait in heaven until we return to Him. He accompanies us as we journey towards Him. The image of Jesus calming the sea is the perfect image of God guiding His people towards the “other side”, towards the Kingdom of Heaven.

But another image from our Gospel narrative today seems to be the focus of reflection for many – the image of Jesus sleeping in the boat. Many people, because of the storms in their lives, are tempted to think that God is asleep. Some even think that God is dead, cruel, or not as powerful as we think He is. They find it difficult to understand why a good God allows us to face so many problems and sufferings. They come to think that God is either good, but not almighty or is almighty, but evil.

Scriptures will tell us that God allows evil in the world in order to draw out from it a greater good. Joseph was sold by his brothers as a slave; but God was with him and he was able to save Israel from famine. Jesus was killed through crucifixion; but through His death, He saved us from sin. In the same way, our problems in life are for our own benefit. They make us better persons. As a canyon is shaped by the flowing of the river, as rocks are shaped by the pounding of the waves, so we are shaped by the problems that God allows us to encounter.

We do not face problems alone; we face them with God on our side. We should not fear them, for it is the Lord, our God who fights for us (cf. Deut 3:22).

The Holy Spirit whispers to us whatever it was that God wanted to teach us through the problems we have already encountered, ensuring that we have gone through them with lessons learned.

God is with us as we journey towards His Kingdom. And if God is with us, who can be against us (Rom 8:31), what storm can scare us?

Image of a Perfect, Life-giving Love

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ June 14, 2009 (Mk 14:12-16, 22-26)

On the First day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?"

He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?" ' Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there."

The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover.

While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is my body."

Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

The Eucharist is the highest form of prayer. It demonstrates the very meaning of prayer - man coming to God, and God meeting His people. The Eucharist is not just a memorial of the Last Supper; it makes present the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.

Indeed, in the Eucharist, Christ is present in the form of bread and wine. The bread and wine do not just signify Christ; they become Christ Himself.

Christ, who once humbled Himself and took the form of a slave (cf. Phil 2:7), takes the form of bread and wine in the Eucharist. This sacrament is His gift to the Church and, through it, He nourishes His people. In His humility and out of love for us, He has made Himself vulnerable to the irreverence of man, as He was at the moment of His passion and death.

As we receive Christ in the Mass, we ought to be more like Him. It is said that you are what you eat. Therefore, when we receive Christ, we become Christ. We ought to imitate Christ's love, the love that nailed Him to the cross, a selfless and life-giving love.

Today, we are afraid to love, for we fear being hurt. But we should realize that love entails sacrifice, and sacrifice means being ready to endure pain for the sake of the beloved. We should realize that the more scars we have, the more beautiful we are. That is why Jesus, scarred and nailed to the cross, is a very beautiful image, for it is an image of a perfect love.

Nevertheless, we must realize that love, in itself, does not hurt. But love makes us vulnerable to being hurt. It is because Jesus loved Judas that He was hurt when Judas betrayed Him. It was because Jesus loved Peter that He was hurt when Peter denied Him thrice. It is because Jesus loves us that He suffered and died on the cross for us. And it is for the same reason that He continually makes Himself vulnerable to irreverence when He makes Himself present to us in every Mass.

Let us learn to love God and one another, for when we do, nobody will end up getting hurt and nobody will betray anyone anymore. Let us also learn to love and respect the Eucharist. In it, God expresses His love for us and He expects us to love Him back. Let us be grateful for this great gift of Christ which He gave us in His love.