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| John 6:1-15 |
Today’s Gospel begins one of my
favorite books of the Bible, the sixth book of John. The book begins with a
great crowd of 5,000 people following Jesus, taking in everything he has to
say. Jesus, caring for their needs both spiritual and physical asks his
disciples to feed them. The disciples don’t have enough food or nearly enough
money to do so, for them it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
From the crowd a boy emerges with five loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus
takes the food, gave thanks and then distributes them to the crowds. From
meager portions everyone ate until they were full and in abundance they
collected 12 baskets of leftovers.
We do not believe in a God who
says “no” but in a God of eternal “yes”. God gives us all good things in abundance
because He created us and knows us better than we know ourselves. Could we or someone
else create something to make us happier than God who made us? We should expect
great things from God for Jesus Himself told us to knock and the door will be opened to you, seek and you shall find. Sometimes
reality does not meet our prayers or expectations. When we experience this
disappointment or pain we can either choose to withdraw from God or to discern
how God is working in this experience, to, in faith be opened to new
expectations or possibilities.
The sixth book of John ends with
the same crowds who experienced the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 disappointed,
walking away, abandoning Jesus. Jesus reveals Himself to them, telling them
that He is the bread that has come down from heaven, that his body and blood
are food for the world and that if they eat his flesh and drink His blood they
will have eternal life. The crowds were not ready to have faith or remain open
to changing expectations. Jesus’ Apostles too were faced with a choice. When
Jesus asks if they too will leave St. Peter says with heroic faith and love Lord, to whom shall we go? You alone have
the words of everlasting life. We too must expect great things from God but
always be open to the abundance of God fulfilling that promise.
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
-What do we deeply desire that
we have not been asking God for?
-In what ways are we disappointed
or feeling unfulfilled? How might God be speaking to us through that
experience?
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