Gospel Reading for July 28, 2024 – John 6: 1-15
SUCH A SHAME
Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.
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Jesus did not only preach and heal. He was also concerned about the hunger of the people. Without food, how can we survive? There are those of us who take 5 meals a day, including merienda. But, are we aware that there are families among us, who eat only once a day because they do not have enough money to buy food or a decent meal? There are even families who do not know where they will get money to buy for their meals tomorrow. It is SUCH A SHAME that while there are those who die of hunger, there are also those who die of gluttony. It is this that should remind us not to waste food.
We have to remember that all the resources in this world comes from God, and are meant to sustain all of his creation. If we can share food with those who are in need around us, we would be emulating Jesus.
Lord, may we also give importance to the food of our soul by receiving you at our Eucharistic Celebrations!
