Homily for Tuesday after Epiphany
Theme: Unconditional love
By: Fr. Benny Tuazon
Homily for Tuesday January 4 2022
(Mk. 6:34-44) Tuesday After Epiphany
In today’s Gospel, Jesus is being followed by so many people. Jesus took the opportunity to satisfy their hunger for His teachings. They did not notice the time. The hunger of the the body came. Jesus also obliged. He again took the opportunity to show His care and authority. With five loaves and two fish, they were all fed to their satisfaction. When Jesus provides, it is always satisfactory.
In the end, Mark noted that “… they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments and what was left of the fish.” There were leftovers. Bp. Ambon David, in one of our recollections, found significance in this simple but meaningful act.
The crumbs and what were left of the fish were gathered after they had served their purpose. Bp. Ambo noted that the bread and the fish may also symbolise Christians in general and the ministers in particular. It means that those of us who had strived to serve the Lord to the satisfaction of His people will be gathered by God in the end.
Some servants may have aged, got sick, became handicapped, abandoned, forgotten, treated as good for nothing, useless and even hated. Jesus gives an assurance that He appreciates and will not neglect. Jesus will gather us to Himself and collect, renew, revitalise, and make us whole again in order to serve again. Thus, servants and ministers need not worry about giving all of oneself.
Jesus did it Himself. He emptied Himself for us. No less is expected of us.
This is a good reminder to many of us who serve the Lord. Service knows no bounds. Loving is unconditionally giving everything and leaving nothing and expecting nothing in return. In the end, there is the Lord who will pick us up and gather us to Himself!