2 Kgs. 4:42-44; Ps. 145:10-11, 15-18; Eph. 4:1-;6; Jn. 6:1-15
Jesus is the bread of life. He comes to give himself to us in the Eucharist. As bread he is broken, dividing himself to feed the many that we may gather to celebrate his body and blood as our Lord, in one faith, through one baptism for our “one God and Father of all”. In Jesus it all comes together to be in all.
Growing up I recall the expression “where two can eat so can three”. Even when there was little to eat there was always enough to share with others. It was an act of faith knowing that God provides and we should be generous with what we have received. Each day brings us the Lord’s blessing to be multiplied as the bread of love, joy, peace and life. Tomorrow will bring its own challenges but also another opportunity for God to demonstrate his love in the miracle of the ordinary. Recently I heard on the catholic radio station someone say that what others call “being lucky” is God choosing to be anonymous in his love for us.
Today we see an act of faith demonstrated by Elisha who trusts in God connecting the present to the future and greater miracle to come. Jesus comes and in the same manner takes from the little that there is to feed the multitude preparing the soul to be fed the truth of God. The miracle opens the minds and hearts of the people to receive the word of God and believe. The multiplication of bread is not the great miracle but only a visible sign of the invisible grace we receive today in the greater miracle of the Eucharist.
It is tempting to say that today in our world we need a miracle to open the minds and hearts of people to see, taste, and believe. The truth is that the miracle is already with us daily and we fail to see it. It is the miracle of the Eucharist, body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus present today to nourish our souls and give us the bread of life from heaven.
The reading from today comes from the gospel of John chapter 6 just before Jesus declares his body as the food for eternal life. Jesus demonstrates his power over the natural world so that we can believe in his supernatural power to transform himself into the bread of life and yet so many cannot accept this teaching.
In the Christian world non-Catholics claim that the word of God is the bread of life. The gospel of the word has the supernatural power to transform lives. The question is which gospel? The interpreted by who? Each denomination takes its own version of the gospel to make claims on the truth. Even the church of Satan has its own gospel claiming to profess the truth and has transformed many into believers of its lies. Today we need the miracle of the Eucharist more than ever but if we Catholics fail to acknowledge the sacredness of Jesus in the Eucharist how can the world come to see and believe.
There is a reason the Church is seeking a Eucharistic revival in our times. Too many have fallen into the practice of being cultural Catholics, cafeteria Catholics, non-practicing Catholics when we need worshiping Catholics. We need a revival of the soul and the bread for the soul is the Eucharist. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord when we become his temple and carry him within our souls. He who receives him in the Eucharist receives the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Eucharist is sacred and we are to be well disposed in receiving it by having made a good confession. We must confess with out lips in order for our lips to receive the Lord.
The church has a history of Eucharistic miracles well documented and validated but it is up to us to us to come and believe.
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