Month: April 2023

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Gospel: John 6: 1-15

Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.
A large crowd followed him,
because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.
Jesus went up on the mountain,
and there he sat down with his disciples. 
The Jewish feast of Passover was near.
When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,
he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”
He said this to test him,
because he himself knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered him,
“Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough
for each of them to have a little.”
One of his disciples,
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,
“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;
but what good are these for so many?”
Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” 
Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. 
So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,
and distributed them to those who were reclining,
and also as much of the fish as they wanted.
When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples,
“Gather the fragments left over,
so that nothing will be wasted.”
So they collected them,
and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments
from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.
When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,
“This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” 
Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off
to make him king,
he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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“What good are five loaves and two fish for so many?” (John 6:9)

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Phillip and Andrew are suffering from a terrible case of pessimism. They don’t yet understand the depths of Christ’s power to multiply, transform, and save. 

So, when they look upon the crowd of five thousand, they believe there’s simply no way to feed them. What they have is not enough.

Yet, five loaves and two fish are all the Lord needs.

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How often do we feel like the disciples? 

We feel like what we have to offer the Lord, his Church, or other people isn’t worth much. We lack the time, the energy, or the resources to make a big splash.

Yet the Lord reminds us that nothing is insignificant when placed into his hands – the widow’s mite, an affirming word, an earnest prayer, a phone call “check-in,” a visit to the sick – is at time all he needs.

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So, what do I have to offer the Lord and his people?

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Who knows, it just may feed the masses.

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Image credits: (1) QuoteFancy, Horace Busnell (2) RogerEvansonline.com, WordPress (3) YouTube, Bora, My Journey 4:32

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Acts: 5: 27-33.

When the court officers had brought the Apostles in
and made them stand before the Sanhedrin,
the high priest questioned them,
“We gave you strict orders did we not,
to stop teaching in that name.
Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching
and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
But Peter and the Apostles said in reply,
“We must obey God rather than men. 
The God of our ancestors raised Jesus,
though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree.
God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior
to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.
We are witnesses of these things,
as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

When they heard this,
they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death.

The Word of the Lord.

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Throughout the year, there’s some professional sport being played. In the spring and summer, there’s baseball. In the fall and winter, there’s football and hockey. Year-round, there’s golf.

Now we’re in the NBA playoffs.

Athletes train, diet, and exercise extensively – even in the offseason – for that coveted shot at victory. Raising the trophy at the end of the season is their top priority.

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In both physical athletics and the spiritual life, there’s the element of delayed gratification. Work hard now, receive the reward later.

As Saint Paul says, “Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win… [Those athletes] do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.”

Christians work hard in this present life for the sake of reaching eternal life.

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In our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter and the others have been flogged and imprisoned as punishment for preaching about the resurrection.

Suddenly, the earth shakes, their chains are broken, and the door to their cell is thrown open. So, what do they do? They rush right back into the temple praising God, knowing it will only lead to further pain and suffering.

Why are they so willing to suffer? 

Like professional athletes, they believe in the principle of delayed gratification. As Saint Paul says, “If we suffer with him, then we shall also reign with him.”

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In what ways do I suffer – or expend energy – for the sake of Christ?

Perhaps I’ve tried to rid myself of a particular sin; spoken publicly about my faith; studied the Word of God at home; or gotten involved in a time-consuming ministry. 

Like the Apostles, we do these things for Jesus because we know what the reward will be: life with Him forever.

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Image credits: (1) YouTube, ajzprod, 8:40, Christian Athletes (2) Redeeming God, The Teaching of the Apostles (3) Our Sunday Visitor

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Acts 4: 32-37

The community of believers was of one heart and mind,
and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,
but they had everything in common.
With great power the Apostles bore witness
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and great favor was accorded them all.
There was no needy person among them,
for those who owned property or houses would sell them,
bring the proceeds of the sale,
and put them at the feet of the Apostles,
and they were distributed to each according to need.

Thus Joseph, also named by the Apostles Barnabas
(which is translated “”son of encouragement””),
a Levite, a Cypriot by birth,
sold a piece of property that he owned,
then brought the money and put it at the feet of the Apostles.

The Word of the Lord.

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Throughout the Easter Season, we read from the Acts of the Apostles, which tells us what life was like within the first Christian communities.

As we hear today, “The community of believers was of one heart and one mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.”

Barnabas, for example, sells all of his property and places the profits at the feet of the Apostles, to be used at their discretion.

That’d be like selling your home and your car, downsizing to the basics, and giving all of the proceeds to charity.

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But that’s who we are as a Church.

We are generous people who lay down our possessions, offer our talents, and even lay down our lives for the sake of the Gospel. 

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In fact, the Church has commissioned more missionaries, founded more hospitals, schools, orphanages, soup kitchens, high schools and universities than any other institution in history.

Occasionally, these sacrifices are highlighted by the lives of Saints like Barnabas or Mother Teresa, but most often these sacrifices are made by ordinary people like us who live out their faith in little ways day after day.

For example, some of you purify our linens for Mass; others bring communion to the sick or homebound; others are intercessors, choir members, counters, ministry leaders, or staff.

How might we continue this Catholic tradition of generous giving today?

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Image credits: (1) Pinterest (2) Friends of Little Portion Hermitage (3) Church of the Living Word