"God is love," St. John tells us in the first reading. It is a short sentence, but it holds the weight of the universe. In the Gos...
"God is love," St. John tells us in the first reading. It is a short sentence, but it holds the weight of the universe. In the Gospel, we see this love translated into human emotion through the Compassion of Jesus. The text says when Jesus saw the vast crowd, "his heart was moved with pity for them." The Greek word used here describes a feeling deep in the gut—a visceral reaction to the suffering of others. He saw them as sheep without a shepherd. This challenges us: when we see the needy, the annoying colleague, or the difficult family member, do we react with irritation or with compassion? Do we see the "sheep" who is lost, or just the inconvenience to our schedule?
This compassion leads to a call for Contribution. When the disciples wanted to send the crowds away to buy their own food, Jesus gave them a shocking command: "Give them some food yourselves." The disciples only had five loaves and two fish—a pitiful amount for five thousand men. But Jesus takes this small contribution. This teaches us a vital spiritual principle: God does not ask for what you do not have. He asks you to contribute what you do have, no matter how small it seems. Your small act of kindness, your small donation, your five minutes of listening—these are the loaves and fish Jesus is waiting for.
The result of this offering is Communion. The miracle wasn't just that stomachs were filled; it was that a community was formed. They all ate and were satisfied, and twelve baskets were left over—one for each tribe of Israel, symbolizing a gathering of the whole people. This foreshadows the Holy Eucharist, where we gather as one body to be fed by the one Bread of Life. In a world of individualism where people eat alone in front of screens, the Gospel calls us back to communion—to sharing our lives and our blessings with one another.
Challenge: Do not underestimate your resources today. Offer your "five loaves"—your limited time or energy—to God, and watch Him multiply it for the good of others.
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