Monday 18th week Ordinary Time, even numbered year
“When evening came, he was there, alone.”
Jr.28,1-17 Ps.118 Mt.14,13-21
"Jesus, having learned this, withdrew and left in a boat for a desert place, far from the crowds. However when the crowds learned of this, they left their towns and followed him on foot. Getting out of his boat, Jesus saw a great crowd of people and he had pity upon them, and healed their sick.
When evening came, the disciples approached him and said to Him ’This is a lonely place and the evening is far gone already. Send the crowd away, so that they go off into neighbouring villages to buy some food!’
But Jesus said to them ’They don’t need to go off anywhere. You give them something to eat."
The miracle of loaves which Jesus performed for the big crowd, had an extraordinary impact in this place of desert. It recalled the gift of the manna in the desert and the untiring Providence God has towards his own people.
If Jesus performed such a miracle it was so to touch the faith of his people. Jesus would speak in the open air and the healings he did drew crowds to Him.
As the day was drawing to a close, his disciples said to Him : Send the crowd away, to find somewhere to rest and eat in the neighbouring villages.
Jesus stands there in the midst of a hungry crowd. He welcomes them, speaks to them and looks after each person, showing them God’s mercy.
By this, already Jesus announces the Mystery of the Eucharist.
We are unable to respond to the crowd commended to us by our own human means that are in our possession.
Still today, Jesus tries to change our perspectives, asking us to look to our Heavenly Father. Jesus wishes to transform our humanity so that it leans not upon itself but counts on God’s Providence, forever at work.
“And so they said to Jesus : ’We only have five loaves and two fish.’ Jesus said ’Bring them here to me.’ Then ordering the crowd to sit down on the grass, Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, raising his eyes to heaven, said the Blessing; he broke the bread and gave them to his disciples and the disciples gave the food to the crowd.”
The people from Galilee will respond to the miracle of the loaves, they would like to take Jesus away and make him King.
Jesus wanted to be received as the One sent from God, the Shepherd of Israel, capable in the name and with the Power of God to gather together his people and so to nourish them.
Jesus also wanted to give a teaching to the Twelve. Beyond the material hunger of the Twelve, which the Apostles could never forget, Jesus aims at a more radical hunger.
He alone has the power to fulfil this hunger : the hunger of the Word of God.
This Word opens up to a future and gets all those people who hear this Word to stand up.
The Apostles, who were nourished in the desert by Jesus alongside tRe crowd, will in turn be called to nourish God’s people with the very Bread of Jesus, the Bread of his revelation and the Living Bread of His Risen Body.
The bread is given to the people who take of their full in the desert. God is close to us by the sign of the prefiguration of the Eucharist which Jesus will give to his People the night before he died.
The gestures Jesus makes during the multiplication of the Bread are those of the head of house when he blesses the bread at each meal. These gestures are the very ones Jesus will make again on the evening of Maundy Thursday :
Jesus took the bread, broke it, blessed it and gave it to his disciples’
The miracle of the loaves sheds light upon the future..
"All of them ate and ate to their full. Pieces that were left over were gathered up, and it made up twelve baskets. There were around five thousand who had eaten, without counting women and children.
Then Jesus made the disciples to get into the boat and go before him on the other side, whilst he sent the crowd away."
If we know how to place at God’s disposal all we have, all of our poor capacities, our life will be fecund and will bear fruit. God becomes close to us in the Sacrifice of his Cross, stooping down so as to enter into the obscurity of darkness of death in order to give Life to us.
In the Eucharist God has us journey on the road of service, sharing , gift and the little we have becomes wealth.
God’s power, which is that of Love, goes down into our poverty so as to transform it.
In the twelve baskets left over, we understand they represent the twelve tribes of Israel that ate to their full.
If each person puts into common all that he has, we have all we need to move forward, with Jesus who takes on all our concerns.
The whole of God’s people has found their Joy next to Jesus. Every day the Eucharist turns our gaze towards the past, towards the glorifying moment of Jesus’ death, at that moment when Jesus passed to he Father once and for all.
At the same time it is the communion of sisters and brothers, thanksgiving where we anticipate the time when Jesu will come again, to take us with Him n Glory.
We ask for the grace to always lean upon Jesus Alone, He who is the Saviour of the world.
Monday 18th week Ordinary Time, even numbered year
“When evening came, he was there, alone.”
Jr.28,1-17 Ps.118 Mt.14,13-21
"Jesus, having learned this, withdrew and left in a boat for a desert place, far from the crowds. However when the crowds learned of this, they left their towns and followed him on foot. Getting out of his boat, Jesus saw a great crowd of people and he had pity upon them, and healed their sick.
When evening came, the disciples approached him and said to Him ’This is a lonely place and the evening is far gone already. Send the crowd away, so that they go off into neighbouring villages to buy some food!’
But Jesus said to them ’They don’t need to go off anywhere. You give them something to eat."
The miracle of loaves which Jesus performed for the big crowd, had an extraordinary impact in this place of desert. It recalled the gift of the manna in the desert and the untiring Providence God has towards his own people.
If Jesus performed such a miracle it was so to touch the faith of his people. Jesus would speak in the open air and the healings he did drew crowds to Him.
As the day was drawing to a close, his disciples said to Him : Send the crowd away, to find somewhere to rest and eat in the neighbouring villages.
Jesus stands there in the midst of a hungry crowd. He welcomes them, speaks to them and looks after each person, showing them God’s mercy.
By this, already Jesus announces the Mystery of the Eucharist.
We are unable to respond to the crowd commended to us by our own human means that are in our possession.
Still today, Jesus tries to change our perspectives, asking us to look to our Heavenly Father. Jesus wishes to transform our humanity so that it leans not upon itself but counts on God’s Providence, forever at work.
“And so they said to Jesus : ’We only have five loaves and two fish.’ Jesus said ’Bring them here to me.’ Then ordering the crowd to sit down on the grass, Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, raising his eyes to heaven, said the Blessing; he broke the bread and gave them to his disciples and the disciples gave the food to the crowd.”
The people from Galilee will respond to the miracle of the loaves, they would like to take Jesus away and make him King.
Jesus wanted to be received as the One sent from God, the Shepherd of Israel, capable in the name and with the Power of God to gather together his people and so to nourish them.
Jesus also wanted to give a teaching to the Twelve. Beyond the material hunger of the Twelve, which the Apostles could never forget, Jesus aims at a more radical hunger.
He alone has the power to fulfil this hunger : the hunger of the Word of God.
This Word opens up to a future and gets all those people who hear this Word to stand up.
The Apostles, who were nourished in the desert by Jesus alongside tRe crowd, will in turn be called to nourish God’s people with the very Bread of Jesus, the Bread of his revelation and the Living Bread of His Risen Body.
The bread is given to the people who take of their full in the desert. God is close to us by the sign of the prefiguration of the Eucharist which Jesus will give to his People the night before he died.
The gestures Jesus makes during the multiplication of the Bread are those of the head of house when he blesses the bread at each meal. These gestures are the very ones Jesus will make again on the evening of Maundy Thursday :
Jesus took the bread, broke it, blessed it and gave it to his disciples’
The miracle of the loaves sheds light upon the future..
"All of them ate and ate to their full. Pieces that were left over were gathered up, and it made up twelve baskets. There were around five thousand who had eaten, without counting women and children.
Then Jesus made the disciples to get into the boat and go before him on the other side, whilst he sent the crowd away."
If we know how to place at God’s disposal all we have, all of our poor capacities, our life will be fecund and will bear fruit. God becomes close to us in the Sacrifice of his Cross, stooping down so as to enter into the obscurity of darkness of death in order to give Life to us.
In the Eucharist God has us journey on the road of service, sharing , gift and the little we have becomes wealth.
God’s power, which is that of Love, goes down into our poverty so as to transform it.
In the twelve baskets left over, we understand they represent the twelve tribes of Israel that ate to their full.
If each person puts into common all that he has, we have all we need to move forward, with Jesus who takes on all our concerns.
The whole of God’s people has found their Joy next to Jesus. Every day the Eucharist turns our gaze towards the past, towards the glorifying moment of Jesus’ death, at that moment when Jesus passed to he Father once and for all.
At the same time it is the communion of sisters and brothers, thanksgiving where we anticipate the time when Jesu will come again, to take us with Him n Glory.
We ask for the grace to always lean upon Jesus Alone, He who is the Saviour of the world.
Monday of 18th week even numbered year "And at once Jesus made his disciples to get into he boat and go on ahead to the other side while he sent the crowds way.
After sending the crowds away he went up into the hills by himself to pray."
Jesus made the disciples get into the boat, for they hadn’t had faith in Jesus who had multiplied bread and fish. Like the crowds wanted to , they too wanted make of Jesus their king who frees them from the Romans! They don’t hear his Word, to get started to follow him. They are seeking security from the outside and tranquillity, too. They are invaded by thought about John the Baptist who had just been killed! The storm is going on on the inside but it will be for a new manifestation of God’s Tenderness!
On this earth, to have faith in Jesus is to trust in his invitation to participate in his victory here below over evil.
Jesus was the first to cross the waters without being swallowed up by death.
To have faith means, like the Virgin Mary at the foot of the Cross, to keep standing in storms, walking on the waters by the grace of Jesus and the strength of the Holy Spirit.
We enter into a crisis that is difficult to grasp for we see how the meaning of the miracle of the loaves wasn’t understood.
John will say that the crowd are seeking him because they have stuffed themselves with bread. The crowd is looking for Jesus so as to make him their King and the disciples are taken in by them!
"The boat, by now some furlongs from land, was hard pressed by rough waves, for there was a head-wind.
In the forth watch of the night he came towards them, walking on the sea, and when the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
’It is a ghost’ they said and cried out in fear. But at once Jesus called out to them, saying : ’Courage! It’s me: Don’t be afraid!’
It was Peter who answered, ’Lord’, he said’ if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water.’
Jesus said ’Come.’
Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water, but then noticing the wind, he took fright and began to sink.’
Lord!’ He cried ’Save me!’
We too shall have to walk on troubled waters, confront head strong winds. We know that Jesus has overcome death and evil, but he hasn’t yet calmed the storm that is shaking our boat. The storm will be calmed when Jesus gets into the boat.
The waters are the symbols of the forces of evil and death, the place where sea monsters live. To walk on water means that the forces are dominated, by this act it is an announce of the Resurrection that is to come.
By inviting Peter to follow him, Jesus invites him to participate in his victory over death and evil. Peter moves forward, he too walks on the waters, but when he becomes aware of the wind that is blowing he doubts about whether to be able to go right to the end. He takes fright and plunges.
As long as he placed his confidence in Jesus’ Word, he could walk, but doubt and fear make him go down.
"Jesus stretched out his hand at once and held him. ’You have so little faith’, he said, ’’why do you doubt?’ And as they got into he boat the wind dropped. The men in the bot bowed down before him and said ’Truly, you are the Son of God.’
Having made the crossing they came to land at Gennesaret.
When the local people recognised him they spread the news throughout the whole neighbourhood and took all that were sick to him, begging him just to let them touch the fringe of his cloak.
And all those who touched it were saved."We are terrified by stormy seas, by head-winds; we are not fearless when faced with bodily death, we might be frightened by forces of evil in our world and in our heart. The fact that Jesus walks upon waters during a storm and that he invites us to follow him, we can se how he invites us to have confidence in him.
By his Resurrection he overcomes death and by the gift of the Holy Spirit he invites us to follow him from now on.
We mustn’t let ourselves be impressed by contrary, agitated elements which keep on blowing.
God’s presence is a delicate Presence that doesn’t impose itself with force. We let ourselves be invaded by the strength of the Holy Spirit who has us hold out come what may.
In this new Love we come to each other’s help so as to build up a new humanity which is preparing the coming of God’s Kingdom.
If we love one another, then God is made visible. Jesus offers everything to the Father and brings about the Heavenly Kingdom amongst us!