Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Also Read: Mass Readings for 28 July 2024 Mass Reading Reflection for 28 July 2024
Gospel: John 6: 1-15
It is confusing, which one is a greater miracle, five loaves of bread feeding a crowd of more than five thousand, or the disciples who stayed back to serve the bread knowing well that Jesus had only five loaves with Him?
Imagine that you are employed to serve at a dinner. Suddenly you discover that there is only sufficient food to serve only fifty guests against the five hundred waiting to be served. What will you do? I asked this question to a group of youngsters who worked with catering agencies. “We will vanish from the venue.” They answered together. There is no bigger embarrassment than inviting people for food, and not having enough food for all. The guests may likely turn violent and the servants escape the scene.
The trust the disciples had in Jesus sometimes appears more miraculous than the multiplying of the loaves – considering the divinity of Jesus. They knew well that Jesus had only five loaves with Him; yet they arranged the crowds in groups of fifty and hundred. Knowing well that the crowd was hungry, they crafted wicker baskets to serve hundreds of loaves together. It is trust!
Trust is getting ready to serve at the command of Jesus even when your basket is empty. We are called for that type of trust. If we trust, we too can be part of the great miracle being repeated.
There are great examples of repeating the same miracle over and over again. St. Theresa of Calcutta started with less than a dollar in her hands. She and her congregation went on to feed millions all over the world. She is one of the many examples the Church has produced over the centuries.
We are called to serve at His banquet. Don’t be afraid that the baskets seem empty. He guarantees that the baskets shall never go empty. He did it over and over again. If you are ready to serve, be assured your basket will never run out of bread.
So, serve not just the bread for the body, but also knowledge, forgiveness, consolation, love, and the Word of God. Serve generously. If anyone is tired of serving, encourage them to continue serving. Continue serving at home, at the parish, at the workplace, or wherever you are.
Let us continue serving at His banquet together.
Amen.
