I want to talk about the Holy Gospel for yesterday from a different angle today.
Matthew 14:13-21
We all have questions about God. What thoughts go through God's mind when He thinks about us?
If God suddenly appeared in front of me, of course I'd be startled and a little afraid. I might even ask, "Lord, what do You want of me? What do You want me to do?" He'd probably say, "I want you to love Me more. Do you realize how much I love you?" No, none of us realizes how much. If we would only just be honest with ourselves and with others, we wouldn't have to do a thing more. God would search us out. He would enter our hearts and flood them with His life, and fire them with His love.
What is God's love like? God's love is a sacrificing love. He was raised up on the Cross that He might draw all people to share in the beauty and strength of that love.
Yesterday's Gospel is one of the clearest events in the life of Jesus to describe this great truth. Jesus came to feed and nourish the world. The multiplication of the loaves and fish is the prelude to Eucharist. What is Eucharist? It is the continuation of the greatest act of Love the world has ever known. When we give God just a little, He changes it and pours it back into hearts a hundredfold. Just as for the hungry crowd on the hillside, at Mass, we bring to the altar our very small gift, and Jesus changes that gift into Himself, then pours Himself into our hearts at Communion.
Unfortunately, as the miracle is repeated over and over again, our appreciation is dulled. We believe, of course, that Jesus redeemed the world from Satan's power, but we often neglect our role in being "God-bearers." If we really understand that we must be "bread for others," then we will share in Jesus' yearning to transform the world, to make every person holy. So often our "Amen" at Mass is feeble and halfhearted. Our "Amen," as the priest offers us this precious divine food, should also impel us to seize this God with passion and love and draw Him to our souls. Then we should become channels of justice and hope for the society around us.
What is the power of that gift that He so needs us to share with our disturbed society? It is the very power needed to bring Peace to the entire world!
Food for thought.
Father Ed Bakker
Anglican Catholic Church / Original Province
Mission of Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne
Bendigo Australia
