The Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
2nd Book of Kings 4:42- 44; Ephesians 4:1-6; John 6: 1-15
“The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.”
The readings of today are a wonderful reminder of what we are being called to do, by our loving God, each and every day of our lives!
We are called to trust in the love and compassion of our God, who in the story of Elisha in the first reading directs him to tell his servants to feed one hundred people with twenty barley loaves and to be assured that there would even be leftovers. His followers believed and distributed the food.
Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, reminds them to live in a manner worthy of their call with humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another through love. They are to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace.
The Gospel of John and the miracle of the five loaves and two fish feeding over five thousand was accomplished through the faith of the disciples of Jesus. They followed the command of Jesus to distribute the loaves and fish even though it did not seem possible for so many to be fed with so little!
The little they had to share with so many, in the readings today, was blessed, multiplied, and distributed, and with leftovers to spare!
There is no limit to what Jesus wants to share with us. Given with love, the little we have can be blessed and increased. Our limitations and weaknesses, if offered in love, can be blessed and God’s abundant strength can be multiplied in us. It is only then that we will be able to respond to those in our midst, struggling to be fed.
If only we can take time each day to reflect on the need we have to be grateful for the gifts we have received, throughout our lives! Then we will be able to present ourselves to be blessed, and our efforts will be multiplied.
Loving God, take my life in your hands. Bless me and increase my faith and trust in You. Multiply your good works in me, so that I may respond to your Call each day to share with others your compassionate love. Amen.
Sr. Mary Doris, OP