2 August 2020

Jesus Feeds 5ooo people with 5 Loaves and Two Fish (18 Sunday in ordinary Time: 2 Aug 2020)



*MAIN POINTS FROM THE FIRST READING*


 1.  *COME*

Come to the water *all* who are thirsty, though you have *no money* 
You will have: *corn to eat, wine and milk to drink* 
 Why spend money and your wages on that *which is not bread,* which *doesn't satisfy* you

2. *LISTEN* 

When we *LISTEN,*
a.    we have *good things to eat* ....

b.    *reach food to enjoy* ....

c.    *our soul will live* 

3. With you I will make an *EVERLASTING COVENANT* out of the favour promised to David.

*MAIN POINTS FROM THE RESPONSORIAL PSALM*

1. You *open wide your hand* oh Lord and *grant our desires*  ( It means God is generous)

2. God is *kind* and full of *compassion* ... *slow to anger abounding in love* (it mans God takes care of our spiritual needs)

3.  How *good* is Lord *to all* (we are good only to those whom we love, whom we like)

4. You give them *food* in due time (God takes care of our needs both spiritual and physical)

 5. He is *just* in all his ways *loving* in all his deeds (we are *unjust* in our dealings but God is just)


*MAIN POINTS FROM THE SECOND READING* 

1. *Nothing can come between US and love of Christ*. 

No...

trouble, 
worry,  
persecution,  
lack of food & clothes,
threats,  
attacks,  
neither death nor life, 
no angel,  
no Prince, 
nothing that exists, 
nothing still to come,
not any power,
height, 
depth, 
or created things...

Can separate us from the love of Chrit.


*MAIN POINTS FROM THE GOSPEL READING* OF TODAY (MATHEW)

 1. John the Baptist dies. Jesus hears about it and then 

2. Jesus goes by boat to a lonely place.

3.  People hear about Jesus' movement and they leave the town and *go to meet Jesus on foot.*

4. Jesus sees a *large crowd*

 5. The place is a *lonely place*

6. Time has slipped by. That means its evening. 

7. Disciples ask Jesus to send the people away

8. Jesus said:  *"no need to send them away, you yourself give them something to eat"*

9. They had five loaves and two fish 

10. Jesus said *"bring them here to me"*

He raised his eyes to heaven, 

said the blessing

 broke the bread

 and distributed.

 All ate as much as they wanted.

There were 12 baskets extra. 

(This can remind us of 12 disciples, 12 Tribes of Israel)

5,000 people were fed, not counting women and children

*SAME PASSAGE FROM THE GOSPEL OF MARK*

Apostles return from their ministry.

They report Jesus what happened in their ministry

People were like sheep without a shepherd

Jesus begins to teach them

They needed to spend 200 silver coins to buy enough food for people

1 silver coin is equal to one day wage of a rural worker

* SAME PASSAGE FROM THE GOSPEL OF LUKE*

Jesus goes to Bethsaida

 He welcomes the people and speaks to them about the *kingdom of God*

He *heals* the people who were sick.

Disciples talk about the *food and lodging for the people*

* SAME PASSAGE FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN*

Jesus goes to lake Galilee

People had *seen* Jesus and followed him

People had seen Jesus *healing* sick people

Jesus goes to a *hill, sits down there* (this is a lonely place) 

It was time for Passover meal. 

Jesus asked *Philip* as to where they could find enough food to feed the people.

*Jesus tests Philip*, he exactly knew what he was to do.

 Philip says *200 silver coin will not be enough* to buy food for those people

 *Andrew finds a boy* who has five loaves and two fish

Jesus tells *not to waste food*

They collect *12 baskets*

People think that *Jesus is a prophet*

They wanted to make him a *king.*

*POINTS FOR REFLECTION*

*1. "BRING THEM HERE TO ME"*

*God is asking us to be GENEROUS with what he has given to us*
a.    ... life,
b.    talents,
c.    health,
d.    riches,
e.    capabilities,
f.     strength,
g.    knowledge,
h.    experience

As a seminarian, as an aspirant who is under formation, I am asked to *bring my life to Jesus and SURRENDER* to him like the *boy* who surrendered the *five loaves and two fish*  and God is going to perform miracles through me to feed so many people in my future ministry as a priest and religious.

*2. GOD TAKES CARE OF SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT AS WELL AS OUR PHYSICAL NOURISHMENT* 

God nourishes us physically as well as spiritually.

in the first reading we are told *"come to the water ...eat corn without money,  wine and milk.... when we listen to him we will  have good things to eat... rich food to enjoy... and our soul will live"*

In the *Responsorial Psalm* we read *"you open wide your hand, O Lord and grant our desires....you give them food in due time.

In the Second Reading we read *"nothing can separate us from the love of CHRIST... even when we like food or clothing"*

In the *GOSPEL READING,* Jesus feeds the five thousand people with *five loaves and two fish*

 *2. SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT*

If you listen to me your *soul will live*

In *Responsorial Psalm* we read, *God is kind and full of compassion slow to anger and abounding in love*

In the *Second Reading* we read *"nothing can come between US and love of Christ"*


No....
trouble
worry
persecution
lack of food lack of clothing
threats
attacks,
death
life
angel
Prince
nothing that exists nothing still to come
no power
height
depth
or created things
can separate us from the love of Christ

In *Gospel Reading* Jesus is *teaching* the people, telling them about the *kingdom of God* *healing* their sicknesses

3. God is *GENEROUS* with his gifts and blessings. We too are asked to be generous 

## 2 Cor 9: 6-8 God says, *God loves a cheerful giver*

## Lk 6: 38 *Give and it will be given to you, a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap, for the measure you give will be the measure you get back"*

## Acts 20: 35 *there is more joy in giving than in receiving*

## 1 Tim 6:17-19 *" … to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share"*

## Jn 3:16 *" For God so loved the world that he gave his only son..."*


1. *When someone dies, we need to pray for that person sincerely,* feel for that person like Jesus did for John the Baptist today.

2. *Jesus went to a lonely place* probably he might have prayed for John the Baptist who had just died. He must have gone there to mourn for him. We also need to spend time alone by ourselves like Jesus. 

3. We must be eager to *GO to Jesus, go to the church, go to confession, go for holy communion for SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT of our soul* like the people of today went to see Jesus and hear from him.

4. God saw a large crowd and *he had compassion on them.* Like Jesus we need to help people, be compassionate people.

5. Jesus *healed* the people who were sick. We too need to *HEAL* the wounds of others no matter spiritual or physical wounds.

5. Like Jesus we need to *trust in God* even when situation seems very bad. Jesus  trusted in God even though they were in a *faraway place* in a *lonely place* it was *late evening* *no food was there to buy* *no money was there to buy food and eat* and yet he trusted in God and prayed and miracle took place, 5,000 people were fed

6. Jesus said *"you give them something to eat don't simply send them away"*   many a times we want to avoid problem, avoid people, we don't want to do something positive for the people who are around us. Jesus is asking us today to do something by ourselves which is at our disposal, the little that we can do. Very often we put the blame on others or we give the work to somebody else and wash our hands off like Pontius Pilate 

7. Jesus told them to collect the leftover food and they collected 12 baskets. *We should not waste food especially at this time of covid-19.* We need to share our food with others. We need to see how we are able to help people in one way or the other.

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