***
Gospel: Matthew 14: 13-21
When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist,
he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.
The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.
When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said,
“This is a deserted place and it is already late;
dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages
and buy food for themselves.”
He said to them, “There is no need for them to go away;
give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
“Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.”
Then he said, “Bring them here to me,”
and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples,
who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied,
and they picked up the fragments left over–
twelve wicker baskets full.
Those who ate were about five thousand men,
not counting women and children.
The Gospel of the Lord.
***
***
I’m sure some of us have watched the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
There’s been a developing story about the American gymnast, Simone Biles, considered the greatest gymnast in history, who’s pulled out of nearly every competition, her initial reason being to protect her mental health.
It must be an incredibly difficult decision, but Simone reminds us that sometimes the right thing is the hardest thing to do.
***
Today’s Gospel is similar.
It begins with terrible news: Jesus is told about the death of his cousin, John the Baptist.
While death is always sad, what makes John’s death harder to accept is the fact that Jesus knows he’s next.
The religious authorities have been after him for some time now; he’s disrupted their way of life and challenged their authority. They know that with the death of John, they can conspire with the Romans to have Jesus executed.
The easy thing for Jesus to do would be to end his ministry and head for the hills. It’s self-preservation 101.
But sometimes the right thing is the hardest thing to do.
Jesus has come to do his Father’s will, even if it costs him his life.
So, he performs another miracle – the multiplication of the loaves – increasing his following and, effectively, weakening the power of the religious authorities, giving them yet another reason to conspire against him.
***
At times we all must make difficult decisions – whether it’s about our health, finances, faith, career, or relationships. And sometimes the right thing is the hardest thing to do.
In those moments, remember the example set by our Lord, who assures us, “Behold, I am with you always until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
***
***
Image credits: (1) The Fray, Pinterest (2) Orthodox Church in America, Beheading of John the Baptist (3) Ever Thine Home