Sharing is Caring
Whenever Sandra prepares a meal, there is always more than enough for us as a family and I always complain and ask her, why did she cook so much? Her response is always the same and very simple – “because I love you!” This usually stops my complaining in its tracks.
In both our first reading and Gospel today, we see great acts of love, not only in the feeding of the nearly 5,000 by Jesus from five loaves and two fish or the 100 people that Elisha instructed his servants to feed with the 20 loaves but we also to see the love and generosity from the man from Baal-shalishah and the little boy who offered up their gifts for these miracles to be performed.
We are often trapped into believing that we need to make great offerings for us to experience miracles. These readings are a great reminder that God can do great things with the little that we are willing to offer, but it must start with us offering up something. I am reminded of the saying “Sometimes a smile can help a person achieve in a second what would otherwise take a great deal longer.” All we need to do is to show love, and God will take care of the rest.
I often joke that I inherited the art of eating lollies from my pocket without anyone knowing from my mother’s side of the family – my uncles are masters at this. I imagine the young boy in today’s Gospel reading could have done with a lesson or two on how to hide his food. He had packed enough to allow him to follow Jesus for a while and now found himself having to give it all up. St Paul reminds us about being “humble, gentle and patient” and living in unity – “one body and one Spirit”. To do this we need to work together, care for one another and put others first. This is what both the “providers” in our readings did – they offered what they had for the benefit of all.
The miracle of the bread and fish is of course a precursor to Jesus offering himself up for all of us – the ultimate sacrifice, but is also shows us that we have a responsibility to help and support each other because that is what makes the world a better place.
We can show that we love and care by cooking a meal that can last for a few days, or through a smile to a stranger on the street. It does not matter how big or small our contribution is, just leave it to God to work the miracle.
Clint Ramoo
