Monday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Last year in one of my classes we were discussing some of the current thought on the “historical Jesus”. Eventually the discussion came to specific stories in the Gospels, in particular the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. Someone mentioned that some theologians thought that this had not really been a ‘miracle’ in the sense that something supernatural had taken place, but rather that the ‘miracle’ of feeding that vast multitude of people happened as a result of everyone sharing the food they had with them and in the end there was an abundance of food remaining. My initial reaction was that they were certainly wrong—how could this miracle found in all four Gospels not be historically accurate? On the other hand, thinking of a crowd that large coming together and sharing what they had with the community to provide for one another’s needs is a deeply heartening notion. After thinking about this for a while I decided it did not really matter whether this particular story was factual in the historical sense. In the end, the importance of this story lies in the truth it conveys. For me, it is another reminder that God ALWAYS provides for the needs of his people.
All three of today’s readings relate stories of God providing for his people. In the passage from the Book of Numbers, Moses is just plain fed up with the grumbling of the Israelites. Although God provided an abundance of manna for them, they complain about having no meat. In fact, their ingratitude is such that they practically express the desire to return to their slavery in Egypt rather than continue their journey to the Promised Land. The reading from Matthew relates the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus asks the disciples to provide nourishment for the multitude. Their response is immediate—it would be impossible to feed this many people with what little food they had. The Gospel says, “Taking the five loaves and two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowd.” (Mt 14:20) Now regardless of whether these two stories are historically accurate or not, the fact remains that God’s people were provided more than what they needed in both circumstances. Whether the miracle was raining manna, sharing with one another, or miraculously multiplying the loaves does not matter. How God provided for his people really does not matter. What matters is that God did provide and always will provide what we need.
In September, our parish theme will be “Being the Body of Christ”. One of the basic aspects of this theme is how we live out our Christian faith as a community. Yes, sometimes God provides for us by raining down manna from heaven. Sometimes He works miracles we don’t expect and cannot explain. But most of the time God provides for our needs through one another. Most of the time when I am in need of something and look up to heaven to my God for help, he provides for me through someone in my life, someone in my community. And when I see someone in my community in need, it is incumbent upon me, by the grace of God, to provide for them. That action, that instance of “Being the Body of Christ” is every bit as much a miracle as manna falling from heaven.
Heavenly Father,
You have always provided for my every need.
You have always provided for the needs of those I love.
Grant me the grace to be your instrument this day
in providing for others in my community.
With the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
Through Jesus Christ.
Amen
-Gail Lyman