Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

All Ate and Were Filled

Feeding 5,000 (not counting women and children) is a phenomenal act of mercy. Feeding implies that there was hunger. Hunger must be satisfied or the people (and all of creation) may perish. Where do we find the resources to feed people, to feed the hungers of the world, of the universe? The hungers of the world include an end to hunger, poverty, war, racism, diseases, and others.

Jesus says, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” When they ask him to give them time to go buy food, he asks them to gather what they have. And what they have, a few loaves and fishes, is ENOUGH! And there are leftovers!

How did that happen? Jesus took what they had to offer, blessed and broke their offerings, gave to them and they in turn gave to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied.

When we consider the hungers of the world today, what gifts do we have to offer? How will God bless and break them? How will we be fed? And how will we pass that “feeding” on to others? And the gathering of the leftovers—do we really believe that there will always be enough?

For me, “Feed them yourselves” means offering the gifts I have been given by God, my abilities to donate money to organizations that feed the hungry and perform the other corporal works of mercy. I vote for candidates who recognize the dignity of all persons, who support living wages for all workers, who will lead in getting all people to work together. I continue to reflect on the Word and to share my reflections with others. I both pray and work for justice for all. And I work and pray that all hungers will be fed and all will be satisfied. Yes, all of this is about building the kingdom of God on earth. May God take, bless, multiply, and distribute what we offer to feed others.