“Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him” (Jn 6:1-15)
For today’s readings, consult AELF – July 28, 2024.
This Sunday’s liturgy invites us to share, to rediscover the meaning and value of sharing, a profoundly Christian value.
First, in the Book of Kings, Elisha, during a period of famine, receives a gift of twenty barley loaves, which he immediately decides to share with a hundred hungry people, despite his servant’s attempts to dissuade him. From the resulting distribution, all ate and there were leftovers. Thus, this story highlights the prophet’s generosity and trust, two qualities that pave the way for God’s action.
As for the multiplication of the loaves in the Gospel, it is the only sign, the only miracle performed by Jesus that is reported by all four Gospels. This underscores the importance that the early Christians attributed to it.
Today, John’s version centers the narrative on the person of Jesus and presents him simply sharing, without counting, and personally distributing the food to the crowd. With just five barley loaves and two fish, offered for sharing by a young boy, Jesus feeds and satisfies a crowd of five thousand people.
Thus, in both the reading and the Gospel, the result is the same.
When the little food available is shared, there is plenty for everyone.
As Christians, we cannot get used to or resign ourselves to hunger, misery, and injustice. Likewise, mere compassion, no matter how sincere, is not enough. Jesus was not content to be filled with compassion for the poor and the hungry crowd; he did not settle for beautiful words but gave them real, concrete, material food.
In our countries, there are great psychological and spiritual poverties.
Sharing a little of our time with someone in distress or isolated, taking the trouble to listen to someone who feels rejected or misunderstood, offering a prayer or a thought for someone going through a tough or empty period, these are simple means, within everyone’s reach, to open up to the dimension of sharing.
During the coming week, let us let the voice of Christ, calling us to share, resonate in our hearts. In generosity and trust, let us dare to share, dare to offer something of ourselves. We will undoubtedly experience, as in the Gospel, that by sharing, we become rich, rich in joy, love, peace, and conviviality, a richness that fills us completely.
Amen.
2 Kings 4:42-44 / Eph 4:1-6 / Jn 6:1-15
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