Saturday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
I love to cook and bake. It is not so much the food preparation itself, but it is the sharing of the food I prepare that brings me great joy. Whether it is a meal shared together or a meal that I prepare to pass along, there is more than just food that is celebrated. Food brings people together. A shared meal becomes an opportunity to strengthen a connection between those who participate. Jesus realizes the importance of food and sharing meals. Today’s gospel relates the story of Jesus feeding the multitudes. Jesus not only wants to nourish the crowd, but He wants to begin to help create a community of believers. After they share this meal, the many people gathered will always be connected by the experience of breaking bread together.
Wherever Jesus goes, there seems to be a large crowd gathering to listen. In today’s gospel, this group of people has been there for three days listening to Jesus share His message. Jesus recognizes that He needs to move to the next village, but He has great compassion for the crowd that has been with Him over the past several days. Jesus asks His disciples how much food they have- only 7 loaves of bread and a few fish. Jesus gathers the food, gives thanks, and breaks it to be distributed to the crowds. Every person is satisfied and extra fragments are left over. Jesus shows all of those present the immense love and generosity of God. There is not just enough- but there is above and beyond what is necessary.
As I reflect on those who were present in this gathering, I think about the people as they make their way back to their villages. The many teachings that Jesus shared would be a source of discussion, but the amazing meal that they attended would surely stand out. Sharing that meal with people from various locations and backgrounds now has become a unifying experience. If these individuals would meet again in the future, they would be able to recall that they were a part of this meal for many, and so in some way they were no longer strangers. This bond of eating together helps to unify the crowd around Jesus and the message of love that He shared during those several days together. This experience of sharing a meal with a large group is not only amazing because of the sheer size, but it is notable that everyone was included- all ate and were satisfied. In sharing this feeding of the multitudes, Jesus is preparing His followers to recognize His meal- the Eucharist- as a meal that is meant to bring people together into community with the invitation for all to come.
When we participate in the Eucharist, it is more than just a meal. We become united as a community of believers when we share the bread and the wine (the Body and Blood of Christ.) Despite our diversity, we are now connected to one another because of this shared experience. Similar to the situation when I cook a meal and share it with others, I find a great joy not just in the partaking of the food, but in the sharing of the experience with others and how it brings us together. When we leave Mass, we not only remember the words shared, but we remember how we shared a meal together, and how we are now no longer strangers.
Jesus knows that we need this food for our journey, or we might “collapse” from the weight of our struggles. Today’s miracle story also illustrates that Jesus wants to provide food for all people. And when Jesus gives, He gives abundantly- there is enough for everyone to join the meal. When growing up, we used to say “FHB (Family Hold Back)” if the food was running low when we had company over. Jesus’ love and compassion is never in short supply, and He uses something as simple as a shared meal to show us this truth!
Loving God, Jesus shows us the magnitude of your love and mercy. Jesus is food for our souls, and through our shared meal we become one. Send Your Spirit upon us, so we can recognize the joy, love and hope of being gathered at your table. May our shared experience send us forth to bring You to the world. We pray this in Christ’s name. AMEN.
Marylynn Herchline