REFLECTIONS TODAY
The Word proclaimed this Sunday speaks of the hunger of men and women, and how God is concerned with this hunger. In the First Reading, the prophet Elisha attends to a hungry crowd. Despite his servant’s objection, Elisha performs a miracle so that the 20 barley loaves and the fresh grain suffice to a hundred men.
The episode finds a parallel in the Gospel narrative. A huge crowd must be fed, but only five barley loaves and a couple of dried fish are at hand. A similar objection is raised on the insufficiency of available resources. But Jesus is not perturbed. Philip voices his objection, shared by other disciples, because he does not yet know the Master.
Jesus gives food to thousands of people, with leftovers besides. He does not teach them at length, because for the moment their hunger has priority.
This tells us that hunger is important and must be attended to first. It is said that one cannot preach the Word to people with empty stomachs. Jesus teaches us to pray for “our daily bread.” And in describing the measures by which his followers will be judged, Jesus puts on top of the list: “I was hungry and you gave me food” (Mt 25:35), “I was hungry and you gave me no food” (Mt 25:42).
Still, food is not the only thing that matters. The hunger of a person can be interior, on a spiritual plane. In fact, today’s Gospel passage is just the beginning of a long story, a journey where Jesus leads people to recognize the bread that does not perish but nourishes to eternal life. “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4; see Dt 8:3).
However, the people do not know who Jesus is. They think of him as the great provider; they want to carry him off to make him king, so that they may always be fed. Jesus escapes to the mountain, alone and sad. Just as he would not transform stone to bread to satisfy his hunger, he will not use his power to please the crowd who do not seek him for what he wants to give them.
First Reading • 2 Kgs 4:42-44
A man came from Baal-shalishah bringing to Elisha, the man of God, twenty barley loaves made from the firstfruits, and fresh grain in the ear. Elisha said, “Give it to the people to eat.” But his servant objected, “How can I set this before a hundred people?” Elisha insisted, “Give it to the people to eat.” “For thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and there shall be some left over.’ ” And when they had eaten, there was some left over, as the Lord had said.
Second Reading • Eph 4:1-6
Brothers and sisters: I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Source: “366 Days with the Lord 2024,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.