Feeding the Five Thousand

07-29-2018Weekly ReflectionFather Prince Raja

Hello this is Fr. Prince Raja, I had a great welcome potluck by St. Lawrence Parish people at Alma Rod and Gun club on 23rd Monday Evening. Thanks for your delicious food and warm welcome. I had an opportunity to see how our VBS happening in Fountain City, appreciation and prayers for all the volunteers who helped VBS. Last weekend I had visiting priests' friends I took them around our parishes, it's a prayerful experience to take them to our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in La Crosse.

17th Sunday Reflection

The feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle of Jesus recorded in all four Gospels. For Sunday readings of this year, being Year B, we follow the Gospel of Mark. In the past two Sundays we have been listening to the first part of chapter 6 of Mark. Following that sequence today we should have listened to the feeding of the five thousand according to Mark (Mk 6:3544).

However, the arrangement of the liturgical readings (the lectionary) makes a jump to the Gospel of John narrating to us the same story of feeding the five thousand (Jn 6:1-15). Through next six Sundays we will exhaust the whole chapter 6 of John reflecting on the discourse on the Bread of Life.

Several thoughts can be drawn from the gospel text of this Sunday. Being consistent with one of the major themes of the Gospel of John, let me focus on "abundance" – more precisely, on the theme of abundant life, which is also related to new creation and eternal life. In today's First Reading, we heard of the advantages enjoyed by people of faith. Here we have the story of a man, perhaps a farmer who brought food from the first fruits to Elisha, the man of God. This generosity was in obedience to the word of God to his people through Moses to offer to God the choicest of the first fruits.

Paul in today's Second Reading, invites his Ephesian converts to live a life worthy of the calling to which they have been given, in humility, in gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. These words echo the Christian actions of the people as referred to in the Old Testament. Paul calls himself as the prisoner of the Lord and asks all live a life worthy of their calling. Each one has a call received from Christ from the beginning and what is expected of each is his fidelity to this invitation.

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