Genesis 3:9-24;
Psalm 90:2.3-4.5—6.12-13;
Mark 8: 1-10 Full Readings
Saint Giles Mary of Saint Joseph
Jesus Feeds Us With Heavenly Bread
Brethren, Genesis 1-12, is often regarded as a myth, trying to pass out fundamental answers to the fundamental questions of humanity. Today's first reading explains how suffering, pain and hard work came into the world. It was after Eve and Adam had sinned against God by eating the forbidden fruit, that God accursed them and sent them out of Eden to work for food in case of man, and woman to have pain in child bearing.
In the punishments there is an element of Just So Stories, explaining the world as it is. Are we to believe that without the Fall child-bearing would have been painless for women and for men the ‘sweat of the brow’ a constant joy? Nature is nature; but if we were in perfect harmony with the Lord and with one another, if there were no fear, but only confidence in God’s love and in one another, things would certainly be different both in child-birth and in labour. Certainly there would be none of the sexual oppression implied by the dominance of the man over his loving wife. From this reading, we notice that we have to always take responsibility not playing a blaming game, and also to always follow God's law lest we are chased from His loving arms.
God however, is always merciful, he made loincloths for them before he sent them out of Eden. He also sent his Son to watch over you, forgive us and today he feeds us with heavenly bread. For those who believed in Jesus and moved with him, we see him feeding them with 7 loaves of bread. This first is at Mark 6.30-44. In this second account the reminiscence of Elisha’s similar wonder in 2 Kings 4.42-44 is less pronounced, and also the allusion to the account of the Eucharist at the Last Supper. Other detailed differences suggest that the account in Mark 6 envisages a Jewish audience, while the present account envisages a Hellenistic audience. Mark 6 is placed on the western side of the Lake, while the present account is on the eastern, gentile side. The 12 baskets of scraps in the former account correspond to the twelve tribes of Israel, while the 7 loaves and 7 baskets of scraps fit the traditional 7 gentile nations of Canaan and the 7 Hellenistic deacons.
Those who followed Jesus had forgotten to eat or to otherwise provide for themselves for three days! How compelling must Christ have been! They had chosen the company of Christ over meeting their most basic needs. We have the privilege of consuming the Bread of Life every day if we choose to. May our hearts, so often dulled by routine, be set aflame anew as we listen to Christ’s preaching and are fed at his table in every Mass.
To an outside observer, the behavior of these four thousand people would have seemed absurd. Despite their discomfort, they had chosen to remain close to Christ. As a result, his heart was “moved with pity” and he sought a remedy for their hunger. When we persevere during trials or temptations and “remain in him” (John 15:4), Christ himself sees to our needs. He knows our exact circumstances (how far we’ve come and how hungry we are) and has proven in word and deed that he cannot be outdone in generosity. We can trust him.
Our Lord’s heart was moved with pity for the crowd and, as the Son of God, he had infinite power to fix the problem. But he didn’t fix it himself. He chose then, as he does today, to invite people to be missionaries to feed the hungry. “How many loaves do you have?” he asked his disciples. He asks us as well. We answer by dedicating our time, talents, and treasures to Christ in works of apostolate. In the name of Christ, Pope Francis exhorts us: “Please, do not leave it to others to be protagonists of change. You are the ones who hold the future! Jesus was not a bystander. He got involved. Don’t stand aloof, but immerse yourselves in the reality of life, as Jesus did. Above all, in one way or another, fight for the common good, serve the poor, be protagonists of the revolution of charity and service, capable of resisting the pathologies of consumerism and superficial individualism.” (Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Christus Vivit 174)
Let us Pray
Lord, thank you for your willingness to feed me constantly with grace through the sacraments. I sometimes greedily seek your blessings, forgetting that everything is meant to be shared. Strengthen me, Lord, and purify my intentions so that I become a willing and effective apostle for you. Amen
Be blessed
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