HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF 2ND WEEK OF EASTER.
THEME: The miracle of the feeding of five thousand people from the gospel of John.
BY: FR. DEOTATIOUS CHIKONTWE SMA.
*READINGS OF THE DAY*
Acts 5:34-42
Psalm 26:1,4,13-14
John 6:1-15
*LITURGICAL COLOUR*
WHITE
*FROM OUR FIRST READING*
In today’s first reading, Gamaliel, a leading Pharisee, spoke wisely when he said with regard to the early church, ‘If this movement of theirs, is of human origin it will break up of its own accord; but if it does in fact come from God you will not only be unable to destroy them, but you might find yourselves fighting against God’. The movement did come from God, which is why it is still here two thousand years later, in spite of great persecution from without and great failings from within. We are all concerned about the church today. So much of what we took for granted in the recent past is rapidly disappearing. Yet, the church will never disappear because, although very human, it is from God, and the risen Lord is always among us.
*FROM OUR GOSPEL READING*
Today’s gospel tells us about Jesus feeding the five thousand men through fives loaves and two fish only. I’m sure many of us will ask in what way our Lord multiplies the five loaves of bread and the two fish so that He can feed these 5,000 men excluding women and children. But the focus of our reflection is not on how Jesus multiplies the five loaves and two fish. The focus should be on why Jesus does so. Jesus feeds the five thousand men with five loaves and two fish because:
1. First, the people are hungry for God’s word. Today’s gospel says to us that a great number of people gather together to hear Jesus because they are hungry for God’s word of life that can nourish them spiritually.
RELATED: HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF 2ND WEEK OF EASTER.
2. And so let us come to the second hunger, it is a hunger for material food. Food is our basic commodity. It is because all of us eat and cannot exist without eating. This is the reason why His disciples want them to be sent away at the end of the day because they do not have the resources to feed them and even complain how much money they would spend to feed that big crowd. But Jesus takes the little they have which are five loaves and two fish. He thanks God and distributes to all until their hunger are satisfied.
*CONCLUSION*
Actually as you see it, this multiplication of the loaves is not a magic but a multiplication of generous people. It is because Jesus wants us to participate and get involved by giving what we can, according to our own capacity and He will do the rest. In this sense, miracles do happen when we are willing to share and get involved. And Jesus sees through the people’s hearts that they are generous. This is started by the generosity of the boy. He blesses the boy’s offering and distributes them to the people. The crowd see what Jesus does and they are inspired to do the same. They take their provisions which they normally do especially during long trips and share with one another until everyone are satisfied.
Lord give me always a very generous heart. Amen.
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