Enough Food for Them

April 16, 2021

Each day, I reflect upon a word or phrase from the readings of the day. I encourage you to do the same and perhaps incorporate that word or phrase into your daily prayer.

“When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” (John 6:5)

ENOUGH FOOD FOR THEM: In John’s Gospel, Jesus feeds five thousand people through the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fishes. The incredible power of Jesus is on display, but I believe the message goes beyond the miracle itself.

People are hungry. They seek nourishment. They seek healing and consolation, forgiveness and understanding. They are hungry for the Word. They are starved for compassion and long for a charitable spirit.

Perhaps we are the loaves of bread in the story – the bread that is passed among those who are hungry and provides nourishment to so many.

In the liturgical song Christ, Be Our Light, verse three reads: “Longing for food, many are hungry. Longing for water, many still thirst. Make us your bread, broken for others, shared until all are fed.”

Could it be that today’s Gospel is not a miracle story at all, but rather a job description for being a member of the Body of Christ?

In other versions of this same gospel story, Jesus tells his disciples, “Feed them yourselves.”

It is our responsibility to give of ourselves, and in doing so, feed others.