Daily Thoughts: Jesus worked
many miracles and each time he did was an opportunity to teach us one of the
joys of his Gospel. The miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes
in today’s Gospel Jesus teaches us the joy of sharing. Sharing you ask? Yes,
sharing!
Have you ever notice that each time
Jesus feeds a great number of people he always asks his disciple what they have
to offer and each time the disciple respond by saying they either have nothing
or very little. In today’s Gospel Jesus asks Philip where enough food can be
bought in order to feed the people and Philip’s answer is that there isn’t
enough money to buy that much food. Andrew chimes in by saying that there is a
young boy with five loaves and a couple of fish, but what good is that? The
disciples only see what isn’t. Jesus takes what is available and sees what can
be and as the saying goes the rest is history.
So what’s my point? Well when Jesus
feeds people, when a miracle takes place, he is always working with what is
available. Jesus doesn’t create food out of nothing; he takes what is available
and then feeds everyone – a miracle. When Jesus heals people it is because of
the faith of the person, or the faith of their friends or the faith of the
community and healing takes place – a miracle . When he feeds people it is
because someone in the group is willing to share what they have. It might be
just a few loaves and fishes; it might be their faith, this it is where Jesus
begins. Anytime Jesus performs a miracle he does not begin with the impossible,
he begins with the possible. He begins with what is available, with what people
are willing to share – sharing makes miracles, sharing makes the impossible
possible.
Perhaps the challenge of our Gospel
today is – What do we bring to the table? What are we willing to share? So that
God can make the impossible – possible?
Just a little added note to my
reflection today. Our Passionist Community at St. Ann’s Monastery and Basilica
Shine in Scranton, PA is celebrating the closing of a Novena to St. Ann today.
Thousands of people from the Scranton area and beyond have come to the Basilica
Shine of St. Ann over the last 10 days to pray, seek reconciliation, healing
and help. I have been privileged to be a part of this time of prayer. I would ask you to keep our community and all
the people who celebrate the gift of St. Ann and St. Joachim in your prayers
today. Thanks and have a blessed Sunday everyone and may the Passion of our
Lord Jesus Christ be always in your heart!
Daily Prayer: Give us, O
Lord, a steadfast heart, which no unworthy affection may drag downwards; give
us an unconquered heart, which no tribulation can wear out; give us an upright
heart, which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside. Bestow upon us also, O Lord
our God, understanding to know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you,
and a faithfulness that may finally embrace you; through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen! (Prayer by St. Thomas
Aquinas)
A Runner’s Thoughts: “It was being a
runner that mattered, not how fast or how far I could run. The joy was in the
act of running and in the journey, not in the destination. We have a better
chance of seeing where we are when we stop trying to get somewhere else. We can
enjoy every moment of movement, as long as where we are is as good as where
we'd like to be. That's not to say that you need to be satisfied forever with
where you are today. But you need to honor what you've accomplished, rather
than thinking of what's left to be done.” ― (John Bingham)
Daily Blessing: Sunday
greetings and blessing to everyone and Happy Feast of St. Ann and St. Joachim!
It is a busy day here at St. Ann’s. I was hearing confessions at 6:30 am this
morning and the masses and services are many throughout the day with the
closing mass at 7:30 pm. I will once again bring all the prayers, petitions and
intercession that you have sent me throughout the 10 days to my journey through
this feast day and I will keep all of you in my prayers as we each live this
day trying to celebrate what the day offers us. May God’s blessing be upon all on
this Sunday especially on the gift of family as we celebrate this Day of the
Lord and the Feast of St. Ann and St. Joachim.
A special blessing upon all grandparents
and parents today as St. Ann and St. Joachim were the grandparents of Jesus and
the parents of Mary! Have a great day and may God bless your journey throughout
this day and always! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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