The Word: Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sunday, July 31, 2011 "When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:13-21) Reflection Thomas Merton, the famous Trappist monk of Gethsemani Abbey, spent many years of his early life restlessly searching for meaning in life. His search brought him to conversion in the Catholic Church, then to a life of contemplation. In his writings, he tells us that, if we want to find God, we must get rid of the many false faces we present to the people around us, and then, just stand still. God will find us, and will enter into our hearts and flood them with His life, and fire them with His love. God's love is a sacrificing love. He was raised up on the Cross that He might draw all people to share in the beauty and strength of that love. That's the love that keeps marriages together. That's the love that draws young men and women to enter seminaries and novitiates to become consecrated priests and religious brothers and sisters. That's the love that strengthens all followers of Christ, single or married, to know the peace and fulfillment that come from faithfulness to Mass and the sacraments, faithful to a Church that reaches out to sinners and all people in need. Through daily contemplation, He will replace our self-seeking emptiness with a sharing love. One is based on the flesh alone - the other is founded on respect for life and the joy of living. Today's gospel story, reported by all four evangelists, is the clearest event in the life of Jesus to describe this great truth. Jesus came to feed and nourish the world. The multiplication of the loaves and fish is the prelude to Eucharist. What is Eucharist? It is the continuation of the greatest act of Love the world has ever known. As Jesus dies, He is transformed into the food of love, transforming everyone who dares to share in this divine nourishment. Just as for the hungry crowd on the hillside, so too at Mass, we bring up to the altar our meager gift to the priest, and Jesus changes that gift into food for our souls and the strength to feed others with love and healing. Unfortunately, as the miracle is repeated over and over again, our appreciation is dulled. We believe, of course, that Jesus redeemed the world from Satan's power, but we often neglect our role in being "God-bearers." If we really understand that we must be "bread for others," then we will share in Jesus' yearning to transform the world, to make every person holy. So often our "Amen" at Mass is feeble and half-hearted. Our "Amen" as the priest offers us this precious divine food should also impel us to seize this God with passion and love and draw Him to our souls. Then we should become channels of justice and hope for the world around us.     O Prince of Peace,     bring peace to our world through all who feed on your word and on your Body and Blood. Amen. The Catholic Calendar and Daily Meditation Bkg. Courtesy Of Christian Backgrounds