Our Venerable Father Simeon, the Fool for Christ (c. 580), and His Ascetical Companion John (527-65); Prophet Ezekiel
Read
Romans 14:6-9; Matthew 15:32-39
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
“How could we ever get enough bread in this deserted spot to satisfy such a crowd?” You can’t blame the disciples for this skepticism; they are out in the countryside, far from any city or village where food is available, and Jesus tells them that somehow they are supposed to feed thousands of people. We can’t help but share the disciples’ skepticism – “How will we ever restore a sense of mission to our Church? Will these wounds ever heal? Can our families ever be peaceful and loving?”
Today’s gospel gives a new solution to these problems: God will give us life – we don’t need to do it ourselves – but he will do it through us. Notice the progression in today’s gospel. First, Jesus identifies a need; then the disciples point out the difficulty in satisfying that need. Then Jesus asks them what they can contribute, and they show him their very limited resources. Then, Jesus takes these limited resources, blesses them, and returns them to the disciples, who distribute them to others. The result: thousands of people are feed, and the impossible is accomplished. Jesus was the one who fed the crowds; but he uses the disciples at every step. By turning to our Lord and letting him transform us into tools of healing and feeding, Christ will work through us. We don’t need to establish his kingdom on our own; we DO need to let him establish his kingdom in and through us.