HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 5TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME / YEAR B
SAINT OF THE DAY: Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin of the Church.
THEME: The feeding of the four thousand people according to the Gospel of Mark.
BY: Fr Deotacious Chikontwe SMA
READINGS OF THE DAY
1 Kings 12:26-32,13:33-34
Psalm 105:6-7,19-22
Mark 8:1-10
LITURGICAL COLOUR
WHITE
INTRODUCTION
Good morning my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we celebrate Saturday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time of Year B.
ALSO RECOMMENDED: SUNDAY HOMILY, 6TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME / YEAR B
FROM OUR FIRST READING
In our first reading today, we heard the story of Jeroboam, the King of Israel, whom God had entrusted with the rule over ten out of the twelve tribes of the Israelites, after King Solomon’s disobedience had led him to sin against God. That led to the division of the kingdom of Israel after the death of King Solomon. Ten out of the twelve tribes of Israel, except that of Judah, from where the House of David hailed from, and Benjamin, rebelled against Rehoboam, Solomon’s son and successor as king of Israel. Hence, the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah were formed, led respectively by Jeroboam and Rehoboam. However, as we heard in our reading passage today, Jeroboam grew fearful of the possibility that all those under his rule might betray him and return back to their past allegiance to the House of David.
FROM OUR GOSPEL READING
One of the greatest thinkers and philosopher by the name of Woodrow Wilson said: “No one can worship God or love his neighbor on an empty stomach.”
Today’s gospel tells us about the feeding of Jesus of about four thousand people out of the seven breads that were offered to him. Here feeds them because they are with Him for three days and they are hungry.
LET US ABOUT THE JEWS AND MEANING OF NUMBERS IN THE BIBLE
Dear friends, for the Jews, the use of the sacred numbers of three and seven suggest manifestation of God. It is because, ‘three,’ recalls that event by which three three-year-old animals are slaughtered and offered to God when Abraham entered into a covenant with Him. And also Sarah, his wife, prepared three seahs of fine flour when three unexpected visitors deliver a message that she would give birth to Isaac.
While ‘seven’ for the Jews, symbolizes fullness or completeness or total. It recalls that event by which after God created the world in six days and on the seventh day, He rested. It also recalls when Naaman, the Syrian, washes seven times in the Jordan River and was healed of his leprosy.
WHAT DOES THIS MIRACLE OF FEEDING THE FOUR THOUSANDS MEAN TO US TODAY?
Actually the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fish symbolizes the Holy Eucharist. It foreshadows the giving of Jesus of Himself in the Eucharist. This is so because of the presence of the four elements or the four acts of the Holy Eucharist that Jesus does when He takes the bread, namely: taking the bread (or Offertory), give thanks (or the Eucharistic Prayer), breaks the Bread (or during the singing of the ‘Lamb of God’) and gives the bread (or Communion).
CONCLUSION
Finally dear brethrens, in other words, what Saint Mark wants to relay to us is that the Holy Eucharist represents the fullness or completeness of the manifestation of God to His people like us in the Eucharist. Jesus satisfies our hungry for God through His word and His Body in the Holy Eucharist. That, when we receive Him in the Holy Eucharist He becomes one with us and part of us.
ABOUT THE SAINT OF THE DAY.
Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Scholastica, a holy and devoted woman whose life and examples had inspired many throughout the history of the Church. St. Scholastica was the fraternal twin sister of St. Benedict of Nursia according to Church tradition, who was another great saint of God and who was widely considered as the Father of Western Monasticism. St. Scholastica herself was renowned in her own way for her great piety and commitment to God, for her dedication and faith, which had inspired many others to follow her examples to a life of holiness and grace, resisting the many temptations of worldly glory, pleasures, fame and ambitions, and instead, seeking God wholeheartedly and turning themselves into the right path.
Saint Scholastica, Pray for Us.
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