Sunday Homily

First Reading: 2 Kgs 4:42-44
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18
Second Reading: Eph 4:1-6
Gospel:  Jn 6:1-15


Homily:

17^th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle B
Do as you do.

I have a message today for adults.  But kids listen in too because I think that you might find this kind of interesting.  I have a message for you from the perspective of a child because whether we realize it or not children are watching our every move.  Watching us doing as we do, not as we say.

When you thought I wasn’t looking,
I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator,
and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn’t looking
I saw you make my favorite cake for me
and I learned that the little things in life can be special

When you thought I wasn’t looking,
I saw how you handled your responsibilities even when you don’t feel good
and I learned that I would be responsible when I grow up

When you thought I wasn’t looking,
I heard you say a prayer
and I knew there is a God that I can always talk to and I learned to trust in God

When you thought I wasn’t looking,
I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick
and I learned that we all have to help take care of one another

When you thought I wasn’t looking,
I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing
and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don’t

It’s amazing the perspective that children have.  We teach them with every action we take, in simply doing what we do.  It’s a way of learning that is as old as mankind and even though we might not realize it is the way that Jesus has taught us, like in today’s Gospel reading.

When you think carefully about the feeding of all of those people on that grassy hillside in Galilee, maybe the miracle was not in the fact that they shared a huge meal that seemly came from no where.  But the true miracle was the lesson that Jesus taught in doing what He did.  A simple lesson of trust and sharing.

Just imagine that you are part of that crowd that was following Jesus around Galilee.  After a long hard day you are hungry and the only place that you have to sit is on the gently rolling grass hills along the Sea of Galilee.  There are people everywhere.  Now the gospel talks about there being 5,000 men.  But we know there were more than just men there because the loaves and fish were provided by a boy.  So just how many people were there?  Counting the women and the children, maybe there were actually 10,000, 20,000 or 30,000 people – who knows? No matter the number, I think it is safe to say that there were a lot of people there that day.

So how do you feed so many people?  I don’t think that there were many McDonald’s or Burger Kings around 2000 thousand years ago – not to mention a Raleys or Safeway grocery store. 

But Jesus took command of the situation with the help of a boy.  A boy that likely came from a meager existence having only barley and fish; this was the food of poor people in those days.  The boy, in faith, gave Jesus probably every thing that he had – 5 barley loaves and 2 fish.  He gave it all to Jesus in an act of generosity and trust that this would turn into something greater.  An obviously insignificant amount of food that would feed this huge crowd.

Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks and distributed the just like he did at the last supper.  He distributed the food himself rather than having the disciples do it.  Yes, Jesus taught us something very important in seeing Him doing as he did.

Jesus fed this huge crowd, not just to demonstrate his power but to give us an example of how He feeds us and we are to feed others.

The reaction of the people who experienced this miraculous meal was quite interesting.  Seeing what Jesus could do they wanted to manipulate Him for their own needs.  They reacted by wanting to carry Jesus off by force and make Him king. 

Maybe this isn’t a lot different than you and me.  Maybe we want God to take the responsibility for our lives.  Sort of like winning the Lotto – with that money - all our problems will go away.  Just think about all that you could do with all that money.  First there is that new house, new cars, the sky is the limit.

Maybe we have this same Lotto Mentality when it comes to helping people in need or even the supporting the needs of our own parish.  It’s an easy thing to do, to sit back and enjoy.  After all someone else will take care of it.  If things go wrong - it’s not my problem.  After all, those other people are in charge.

Is this really what we are called to do?  I don’t think so!

God brought us together in love to be united and to help each other - not to release us from what He showed us to do.  Under the inspiration of God, we are called to do.  God gives us so many gifts in great abundance, all God asks is that we use them well.

What Jesus showed us to do was very simple.  Believe in His example.  Then teach what you believe.  Put into practice what you teach.  Because as Catholic Christians we are called to live in accord with what we have become.

Whether we realize it or not children are watching our every move.  Watching us doing as we do, not as we say.

When you thought I wasn’t looking,
I looked at you and wanted to say
“Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn’t looking