Jesus multiplied five loaves and two fish, and they became enough to feed five thousand people. This may sound irreverent, but aren’t we left asking, “Jesus, why don’t you do this more often?” Jesus had been healing the sick. The Gospel tells us, that’s why the crowd had followed him there, but now Jesus works a miracle for the average joe, for those with everyday needs, food, hunger. From healing the sick to helping the everyday man with everyday needs, our Lord was working miracles, but the Gospel doesn’t call them miracles, St. John calls them signs. This sign, like all the miracles in the Gospel are being worked not only because Christ had compassion and wanted to alleviate suffering, but because he was teaching us something; they carry a meaning for all ages, they carry a meaning for us today. In this miracle Christ was teaching us about the great gift of the Eucharist, and his plan for it to be distributed to all people for all ages through the Church. The Eucharist is something upon which we can rely, to restore our dignity and enable us to do the Father’s will, but before we get into that, let’s get a wider view of what the Church is teaching us through the special arrangement of scripture being offered today.
Sunday – Ordinary Time – Week 17 – Year B
