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FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISH
The Christian knows he cannot solve all the problems of hunger, for the food given is quickly consumed and misery returns, but when the Lord asks us to contribute five loaves and two fish, we has the assurance that He will take care of multiplying it miraculously. Sisters and brothers: 1. The prophetic act of the multiplication of the loaves has a meaning that goes beyond satisfying the stomach. A child offered what he had and Jesus commanded the apostles to distribute it. This means that our human contribution is needed for the miracle since it is the starting point for this wonderful communion. The Word of God encourages us to share the riches of the earth more wisely. 2. Man today suffers a spiritual void and we have a duty to satisfy it; understanding is the most sublime trait of love. Jesus shows us so much love in this episode! Sometimes it is hard for us to understand others and that is when love plays a key role, because if we love, we can easily be understood. It is what a woman said to her husband: "If you loved me, you would understand me." If we want to figure out what type of hunger the brother at our side or all of society is suffering from, we must learn from Jesus to love and understand their situation. 3. What is understanding? First of all, it is to get in tune with all hearts. Saint Augustine said: "Imitate good men, tolerate the bad men, and love everyone because you do not know how today's bad man will be tomorrow." That is the love of Jesus to the thief, the adulteress, the Samaritan. What is love? To love is to give oneself even though the heart is bleeding; it is to support others without being discouraged; is learning to stand in solidarity with others; it is to think well of others and also not to ask men and women more than they can give; it is to close your eyes and open your hand. Today's world needs men who know how to give and receive. Love is an adventure and a risk. The Christian must always leave a trail of light behind, like a ship at sea. Do not be ashamed to call "brother" the beggar, the sick, the fallen or the man of dark skin, and let us not forget to treat our brothers with love and understanding. Think of all the material and spiritual wealth that God has given you. These are the bread and the fish he wants you to offer so that he can multiply them and satisfy the hunger of those around you. The hunger for bread is satisfied by generously sharing, but the deepest hunger that must be satisfied is that of the spirit. See if you can understand, love, and give yourself to others to make them happy. If so, you will be happy your-self. Source: Source: ePriest.com / Best Practices and Homily Resources for Catholic Priests
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Silence Therapy
The Episode narrated by the Gospel describes the vicissitudes of some apostles so pressured by the urgency of the mission that “they did not have time to rest or eat”. Christ, the good shepherd, leads his sheep to restful places. When he sees them worn out by apostolic work, he takes them in the boat to a peaceful and secluded place to rest for awhile. Brothers and sisters, 1. One of the greatest victories for the evil one is trapping us in a world of noise and uncertainties that pervade everything. We live in an age of rush, rush, rush. We run around in a mass along the grueling highway of modern life. The noise pollution of cities reaches our ears at the highest decibels. The sickness of activism leads us to individualism, intolerance, anxiety and impatience. Today, no one wants to be alone, yet at times it is necessary to stop, retreat, and be by yourself. 2. In medical language, the sickness of time is called “cronopathy”. Not having a moment’s rest or a minute of silence or meditation has created a truly physical and spiritual pathology. Medicine ascribes this occupational dizziness and hustle and bustle to a wide range of organic disorders and neuroses; theology sees in it the root of paganism, religious indifference and man-centeredness. Man is looking for happiness in all the wrong places. It can't be found in the world of highways, factories, clubs, stadiums or businesses. In order to find it we need to look elsewhere and learn to listen to the voice of silence. 3. Cervantes once wrote, “He who retreats does not flee.” Solitude with God is a most fruitful experience; it is the solitude of two in company with each other. Silence is necessary for God to speak. We must not fear retreating once in awhile in order to take stock of our spiritual life. Silence is the place where great things are forged. Let us stop and smell the roses. We need that rest which will help free us from tension, wear and tear, and the fatigue accumulated over time. This retreat to restful places will be the best therapy for our insomnia, stress, and heart problems. Rest, solitude and silence will put order to our thoughts, feelings, emotions and even our problems and worries. But more important than all this is the fact that God continues to wait for us in the desert to reveal himself to us and tell us what are mission in life is. Let us go to a deserted place with Jesus to rest, but moreover to be with him, now and always. Source: ePriest.com / Best Practices and Homily Resources for Catholic Priests A Staff and Sandals Are Needed
The Word of God is like a seed; it needs an open furrow and a welcome. The Word of God is the link be-tween God and man; once inside a man’s heart, its transformation begins. Christ needs coworkers who pro-claim the Gospel. To them the Gospel’s recommendation applies: ”Take only your walking stick and sandals,” as if to say, “Don't put your trust in the means, but rather only in the grace of God.” Brothers and sisters, 1. The master's fortune will also be that of his followers. He was not well received by his countrymen for the mere fact of being one of their own. On another occasion, they wished to stone and hurl him over a ravine because he had given witness to his status as Messiah; he was persecuted, abandoned, betrayed and nailed to a cross. “What has been done to me shall be done to yourselves as well.” This does not only refer to the clergy, but also to his lay followers. It is clear that from the beginning, the preaching of the Gospel goes against the current of the world. 2. Today, people want to banish God from society. Secularization, laicism, and agnosticism have taken over the mass media, politics and economic power. Their laws and customs harm the most basic morals, assault life (abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, genetic manipulation, therapeutic cloning of embryos, etc.) assault family (quick divorce, gay marriages), assault our faith (our religious teaching, our popular devotions, the elimination of holidays). But where are committed Christians who can give convincing answers through their words and proclaiming truth and goodness through the witness of their lives? Where are those who bravely defend values in the public square, in academia, in the financial world, in scientific research, on the street? It seems that Christians with leadership and guts stand out by their absence. 3. A Christian is an apostle through the strength of his Baptism and his Confirmation. He is responsible for the salvation of his brothers and sisters. To be a lay disciple is above all, a must for a person of faith. It is to make God's love penetrate the world's ordinary circumstances. It is to feel that God drives us to get involved with people and their problems. To be a disciple is to pray as a little girl once did, “Lord, make the wicked good and the good likeable.” Being an apostle is not just talking about God, but living from God and bringing him to all those around us. Being an apostle is having a heart so overflowing with love that you cannot but share it with those around you. Brothers and sisters: Christ puts down three conditions in order to proclaim the Gospel: full time dedication to the mission, letting go of things, and the internal freedom to evangelize without limitations. Let us re-member that the success of evangelization depends not only on our own personal effort, but also on the grace of God. Source: ePriest.com / Best Practices and Homily Resources for Catholic Priests |
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