18^th Sunday in Ordinary Time-A

 

I Reading: Isaiah 55:1-3: Come and eat.

II Reading: Romans 8:35.37-39: No created thing can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ.

Gospel: Matthew 14:13-21: Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing. He handed the loaves to his disciples who gave them to the crowds. They all ate as much as they wanted.

The Messiah’s Power to Feed Five Thousand: 

The Essentials for Ministry

The great compassion of Jesus for the multitude moved him to heal the sick and to teach them (Mk 6:34). His glorious compassion for the demanding crows was remarkable. Jesus left the place soon after the beheading of John the Baptist to a lonely place for peace, safety and security; instead, he found a vast crowd eagerly demanding what he could give.

Jesus and the disciples could have made many legitimate excuses. “This is not the right place.” “This is not the right time.” “The people can take care of themselves.” Yet Jesus had compassion on them. his compassion was great to work miracles of mercy among them.

The multitudes followed Jesus on foot from the cities because they were like sheep without a shepherd and they were hungry spiritually to listen to the Word of God. Though both the religious and the political leaders opposed Jesus, he was still popular with the multitudes. Do we come to Jesus as the multitudes followed him from the cities to listen to him?

Jesus said to his disciples, “You give them something to eat”: With this, Jesus challenged both the compassion and the faith of the disciples. Jesus multiplied the five loaves of bread and two fishes from a generous boy who offered them for the poor and needy. About five thousand men had eaten there besides women and children.

What Jesus said is profound: “Bring them (your human resources) here to me” (v.18). what would happen if people would bring their human resources to Christ? The resources would become wonderfully multiplied, and the world’s needs would be met. There is nothing in Jesus that would make you want to go away.

What is most important is seeing people and having compassion, accepting one’s duty to minister, and trusting Jesus Christ to use one’s resources.

The command of Jesus in today’s message is to “Give.” The giving implies the sacrificial love for the poor and needy without any expectations. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life (Jn 3: 16).

Do we have generous hearts and minds like the boy who offered the five loaves and two fishes to feed about five thousand men besides women and children?

How do we give our love, care, service, respect,  protection, time, energy, financial support, knowledge, wisdom, counseling, etc to the poor and needy during the Coronavirus pandemic Covid-19?

Do we feel hungry for the Word of God or the material things of the world to satisfy our eternal life?

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