Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes

The Holy Gospel for today [May 6, 2011 - First Friday of the Month]

John 6:1-15

1 After this, Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee (of Tiberias). 2A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples.4 The Jewish feast of Passover was near. 5 When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?" 6 He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do.

7 Philip answered him, "Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little (bit)." 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, 9 "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?" 10 Jesus said, "Have the people recline." Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. 12 When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, "Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted." 13 So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.

14 When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, "This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world." 15 Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

Reflection

“Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them …and also as much as the fish they wanted.” ~ v. 11

Sometimes, the truly amazing miracles are those that spring from the ordinary, like the boy’s generosity to share his meager fare of five barley loaves and two fishes. Little did he know that from his humble offering will spring food that would feed five thousand men not counting women and children. His generosity unleashed the power of divine generosity which is super abundant and prodigal. Let us make miracles in our time by our selfless act of generosity which open the floodgates of divine love. ~ Claretian Publications, slightly adapted

“Consider this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” ~ St. Paul in 2 Corinthians 9:6

Source: The Reflection is from Bro. Abel Navarro (you can visit his blog at http://myblogabelnavarro-abel.blogspot.com/).