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.” Jesus 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.
Homily
I know an old woman in the village where I spent many happy weeks and months who would always offer a meal to a visitor who was in her house at the hour of mealtime. She would say. “I will put a little more water in the soup.” Surprisingly there was always enough and the taste was always wonderful. I thought of that old woman as I began the preparation of the homily for this weekend because the Gospel deals with situations in which there appears to be not enough to feed those who are present.
This gospel passage is one of the five accounts of the feeding of the multitude. Normally these accounts are used for teachings about the Eucharist, and while that is a very valid interpretation of the story I would like to focus today on another aspect of the story which also has very valid teachings about everyday life.
Jesus has just received the news of the execution of John the Baptist. John had coming preaching a baptism of repentance so that God’s rule could take place in people’s hearts and in the world. Jesus and his disciples, some of whom were disciples of John are justifiably distressed. They retire to a lonely place to be by themselves.
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The people are however searching for Jesus and when they find him Jesus begins to minister to them. Evening comes, the people have nothing to eat, and the disciples want to send the people away so that they can find food. The people are probably close enough to a village where food is available but Jesus uses the situation as a teaching moment. He instructs the disciples “There is no need for them to go: give them something to eat yourselves.” The disciples reply, “All we have with us is five loaves and two fish.” In the hands of Jesus the five loaves and two fish feed five thousand men not counting women and children. The remaining scraps fill twelve baskets, enough to feed another crowd.
It appears to me that very often, when faced with the challenges of life, we see the gifts and talents that we have as inadequate. We do not see ourselves as capable of providing solutions; we want to send the people away to find solutions elsewhere. Today the Gospel passage says to us that when put into God’s hands, the little that we have can be sufficient to feed a multitude.
There are many examples of this in today’s world. How many people were sustained in the civil rights movement in the United States by the example of Rosa Parks? All that she did was tell a bus driver that she was not sitting in the back. That small gesture became a symbol that sustained so many in the bus boycott that followed. It was in fact symbolically the five loaves and two fish which fed the five thousand. How many people today continue to be sustained in their resistance to unjust structures by the example of Nelson Mandela who was willing to fight for freedom for his people and if necessary die for it. And how many continue to be influenced by Msgr. Romero and his stance against injustice in El Salvador. All of these exemplars considered themselves and their actions to be small compared to the challenges that they faced but they all put their actions and attitudes into God’s hands. Their actions and attitudes continue to feed the five thousand, not counting women and children.
The Gospel teaches us and in my present circumstances it tells me what partnership with God can do. The disciples had the loaves and fish, Jesus provided the grace. What was insignificant, humanly speaking, became more than sufficient to solve the problem.
As distressing as circumstances may be [the disciples had just lost a great person, a great prophet and leader; now there was this hungry crowd before them], the little that we have put into the hands of God can indeed work miracles. As we thank God for the marvelous exemplars that God’s grace had given to us, may we always have the wisdom to put the little that we have into God’s hands. The little may become sufficient to feed the five thousand, not counting women and children.
Prayer
All powerful and ever-living God, we thank you for the lesson given to us today. Without you there is nothing of any worth. With you the little that we have becomes sufficient and more than sufficient to sustain thousands. Help us to recognize the opportunities which you give us to partner with you; give us the courage to accept these opportunities so that the multitude may be fed. We ask this through the intercession of Mary, our Mother and Jesus, your son. Amen
