FROM THE PULPIT EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY ORDINARY TIME YEAR A REFLECTION BY FATHER BENOIT
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FROM THE PULPIT
EIGHTEEN SUNDAY ORDINARY TIME A
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 55: 1-3; Romans 8: 35, 37-39; Matthew 14: 13-21.
REFLECTIONS: GIVE THEM SOME FOOD YOURSELVES.
Fr. Benoit Mukamba, CSSp.
Today’s readings present us with a God who is so generous and invites us to come to him for water, grain, wine and milk freely and without money. The Gospel starts with the reaction of Jesus at the news of the beheading of John the Baptist and proceeds with the story of the feeding of five thousand and more persons. For me, this first verse of today's Gospel encapsulates the meaning of the rest of the text.
From the human perspective, Jesus was a relative of John Baptist. It is John who baptized Jesus and presented him to the world. From John’s company, Jesus got two of his close collaborators. John understood well Jesus and Jesus appreciated John profoundly. He knew John profoundly well. Jesus would later say about John that among those born of women there is none greater than John. Therefore, having lost to a brutal death someone so dear and valuable, Jesus withdrew to a deserted place to be alone, to pray.
But people wouldn’t give him a break; they arrived ahead to wait for him. In your personal case, how would you have reacted to such a situation? Wouldn’t you have asked to be left alone and take some time to grieve? But, Jesus shepherd’s heart was moved with compassion and began to teach the people. By caring for the people instead of taking care of himself, Jesus seems to answer Saint Paul speaking in the second reading, what will separate me from the love of people? The people I came to redeem? Jesus’ love for us is full of passion that nothing would deter him from loving us and loving us to his own death. And in response we can declare with Saint Paul too, nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The disciples got exhausted and wanted a break now. They asked Lord Jesus to dismiss the people. Do you know why these disciples wanted to dismiss the people? I suspect they wanted to enjoy their dinner of five loaves and two fish alone. Jesus refused to send the people away but told the disciples to give food to the people. The disciples thought what they had as food was too little to share. Like most of us, we think we don’t have enough for ourselves and to give away. But the Lord proves us the contrary; nothing is too small to share if we were generous enough and trusting in God’s providence.
When we invite God in whatever we do, the results will be astonishing. What we thought earlier we were incapable to achieve, become possible and within our reach. What we were unable to understand becomes clear to our comprehension and articulation. God provides us with necessities of life free of charge. What God has to offer is satisfying and will be long lasting compared to all else for which people spend their money on. That’s why the prophecy of Isaiah declares, “Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life".
May the Holy Spirit enlighten each of us to grasp the passionate love of Christ Jesus for us.