Well here we are at the beginning of August It will be no time until the new uniforms etc will have to be bought and the schools will reopen hopefully at the beginning of September after the covid19 lockdown.
In our Gospel story for this Sunday we hear about the feeding of the five thousand. The gestures and words of Jesus in the Gospel bring to mind the Last Supper The Gospel writer is making clear references in this miracle story to the Eucharist. The people in this story are a crowd that realize Jesus had something to offer them in their “deserted places.” Jesus wasn’t just filling their stomachs. They were not the rich, the famous, the educated or the powerful; they were the afflicted and the marginalized people that Jesus went out of his way to seek out. Life may have passed them by, but Jesus didn’t. He took note of them, and they in turn saw in him a place to be nourished, a place where deep hungers and longings would be fulfilled. The physical bread of the miracle story was of temporary value. It could not satisfy deeper spiritual hungers, but it was a sign that Jesus can and that his heart is moved with pity for us.
In this version of the story, there is no boy to provide the loaves and fishes for this miracle. The people are weary looking for hope, for consolation after the death of John, looking for a leader to inspire them, and they discovered Jesus. The disciples have the food. Was it their own food for the trip? Is Jesus asking them to share out of their supplies? Is he asking them to risk it all, to take a chance at extravagant generosity? And they do—maybe this too is the miracle; the change in the disciples who now have learned that whatever they have, it will be more than enough in collaboration with Christ. They are learning to cast their lots with him, to risk what they have in his service. As we heard last week, the person who discovers the treasure in the field goes out and sells everything to buy the field and have the treasure.
The sign for us today is that we too are the beloved of God and we will not be left hungry or alone for God is with us in the good, bad, happy and sad things that are part and parcel of our daily life.
Fullerton T 