Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.”

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 14:13-21

When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” He said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” But they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.” Then he said, “Bring them here to me,” and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over– twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.

As Catholics, the Eucharist is the source and the summit of our religion.  It is what makes us Catholic.  Today’s gospel reading is about feeding the people.  Christ’s disciples are concerned about the crowds that they will not be fed.  They want to send them away, but Jesus says, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.”  Jesus calls upon his own disciples to feed the crowds.  Jesus takes five loaves and two fish and feeds thousands.  It says that “they all ate and were satisfied.”  This is the same abundance that we should experience when we encounter the Eucharist.  Jesus initiated the Eucharist meal at the last supper.  He tells us that whoever eats his body and drinks his blood will have eternal life.  In other words, we will be “satisfied” when we eat the bread of life.  The meal that Jesus provided to the crowd was abundant.  At the end of the meal, the disciples gathered twelve wicker baskets full of fragments.  This abundance is also present in the Eucharist today.  While Christ sacrifice happened two-thousand years ago, its abundance continues today.  The abundance from the last supper is never ending.  While the heavens and earth may end, Christ’s abundance will not.  The Eucharistic meal will live for eternity.  As we share in the bounty of eternal life, we become more infused in the Mystical Body of Christ.  We become one with Christ.  As become one with Christ, as we become the living tabernacle, we are given the strength to feed others.  There is no need for them to go away hungry.  We are called to give them the food of life.

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord, I am nourished by the Bread of Life.

It is through you that I find eternal life.

Strengthen me so that I may feed others.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon