Gospel for July 25 2021 – John 6:1-15
Gospel Reflections for July 25 2021
Jesus sees what we often miss…
Our Lord speaks to several thousand people in today’s Gospel …but they are hungry and most have no food. The Apostles see not only those who don’t have food …they notice who does …one lone small boy.
When people experience a shortage of anything they can develop a well-trained eye to see those who have a lot, like that small boy who alone has food. I am sure the crowd looked hungrily and even enviously at his lunch and perhaps even with malice as well.
Perhaps the boy then held a little tighter to his two loaves and fish! While it is perfectly okay to admire another’s good fortune, sometimes wanting what another person has can lead to envy and possibly even worse behavior.
Jesus sees both the crowd’s hunger …and the vulnerability of that young boy. Maybe Jesus heard people grumbling and even wanting to forcefully take his bread. Unless He acted quickly the crowd might do something drastic…
If the problem is scarcity of food, then Jesus will not only multiply it, He will give you so much you won’t know what to do with it all!
This is a true miracle and not simply Jesus inviting people to share food they already had. Jesus would certainly have invited them to share food, as He often did in other passages. But He never uses those words. The Gospel text is clear, He only uses five loaves and two fish. There was even food left over from the little He had at the start! This is a true miracle.
Jesus does something meaningful here about abundance.
Jesus wants you to have a “spirit of abundance” that can only come from Him. Having “more” than you need creates a sense of peace with others and even generosity for them.
No need to want what another has if you feel you are already full. Rather than wanting what another has …you are looking for ways to give away what you already have!
That spirit of abundant grace can change the way you look at your life right now as well, especially in this Covid restriction time. You may not have a lot of things, but you can be filled with an abundance of God’s grace that places you at peace with others.
Then you can see what is so often missed …that you already have a lot …and have a lot to give!
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Yes Father Dave Jesus know when to deliver his food and Gospel to the the people .That is where we come in an follow he’s guidence Amen
Well said!
Dear Father Dave,
A heart-rendering reminder of God’s gift of fulfilling peace and sustaining faith. A reminder, too, of the extraordinary life and death of our Savior, Jesus.
God bless you.
Kathleen
Thank you!
Great thoughts on “That God sees what we sometimes don’t see” Fr. Dave!
I think that the beauty of God’s creation is often missed when we are too busy
to notice, maybe too occupied with self interests.
Could it be that when we realize our satisfaction is not realized and don’t have
“enough” is when we depend on the Lord to supply what is missing.
Yes, when we realize nothing in this life ever fully satisfies is often the turning point towards faith.
Thanks for the insight into what may have transpired in that crowd of hungry people and the one small boy with the only food in their midst! I’d never thought about that aspect of that miracle! And an amazing miracle it was! I just wish the Lord would “do MORE miracles” these days! Our niece-in-law has a strong and wonderful faith but is being destroyed by cancer despite ALL the prayers for healing! It’s in her liver and bones and God only knows how much longer she’ll live! Please pray for her: Brittany….a young newly married (just before Covid) and a really lovely person inside and outside! She needs a “miracle”!
Please be assurred of my prayers for Brittany!
Sometimes we look at or situation and think there is no hope. The answer is there through Our Lord and and need to search His word and focus on the answer who is Jesus. We don’t always realize how He will answer us but the answer is there. It may not be the way we want it but it is there.
Yes, well said.