Homily (Reflection) for Friday of the Second Week of Easter (16th April, 2021) on the Gospel
Acts 5:34-42;
Ps 26:1.4.13-14 (R. cf. v. 4);
Jn 6:1-15.
Topic: Show of affluence.
Today’s gospel passage is one of well-known passages in the bible, the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus asked Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” Philip replied in his innocence, “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” However, Andrew intervened, “There is a boy here who has five barely loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?”
Jesus asked the people to sit down. He then took the loaves,
after giving thanks shared them to the people. He did the same thing to the
fish. When the people are satisfied, Jesus said to His disciples, “Gather up
the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” They filled 12 baskets
with the fragments.
We can learn a lot from this passage but we will highlight just
two. Imagine one with only 1000 dollars face-to-face with a problem that will
require up to 100000 dollars. Giving thanks to God might be the last thing one
will expect to find in his/her head. Jesus with five barely loaves and two fish
before five thousand people first gave thanks to God. We ought to give thanks to
God always and for everything, cf. Eph
5:20.
Jesus who can bring anything into existence out of nothing cautioned
His disciples against waste. Sometimes some think that they have surplus of
something but God has never given anything in surplus to anybody. The problem
is that some keep back others’ shares, cf. Ex
16:18; 2Cor 8:15. What we suffer today in the world is not poverty but lack
of knowledge, cf. Hos 4:6. True show
of affluence is in transforming lives and not in wasting wealth as many do
today thereby making others’ suffer. Just as the 12 baskets would feed so many
more people, what we waste today can eradicate poverty in the world. God
promised us a land in which we will lack nothing, cf. Deut 8:7-10; Ps 34:10. Let’s make it happen.
Bible Reading: 2Cor 8:1-15.
Thought for today: Take just your share.
Let us pray: Lord, bless us with wisdom to know
that all your gifts are meant for everybody – Amen.
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