OLDER LECTIO DIVINA

They … filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.

You may have heard it said that Jesus didn’t really miraculously multiply the loaves, and that the crowd just somehow became full from the original five loaves and two fish. Perhaps their appetites were just satiated by their elation in being with Jesus. We’ve all had that kind of excitement before, where we are so ecstatic about what we are experiencing at the moment that we forget our appetite, and a few peanuts seem to satisfy us just fine. Is that what the Gospel is talking about here? Well, no. And we know it’s not because the Gospel says the leftovers were enough to fill twelve wicker baskets. Unless the five loaves were gigantic to begin with, or the baskets were extremely tiny, it makes no sense for the leftovers to fill twelve baskets unless the original amount of food was actually multiplied. How can this be so, though? How did Jesus do this? We can start by admitting that he is God and can do anything. But perhaps a small example that we are all familiar with can help demonstrate the economy of heaven. When there is a disaster like a tornado, for instance, at first the community the tornado hits is devastated physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, you name it. Then a few people decide they are not going to give in to despair. Or a small group from a neighboring town decides they’re not just going to look the other way. They decide to do something about it. They start to rebuild. People from out of town start to donate and pitch in. Slowly the charity of other people multiplies. What began as small acts of faith and charity from a few people became a movement to rebuild the town. What Jesus did here is much more miraculous than that example, but if we mere humans can multiply our own faith and charity, think of how much more God can do.

his heart was moved with pity for them

Much has been said about the relation between the head and the heart. Some people say there is no greater distance than the 13 or so inches between them, but I beg to differ. The smartest decision can sometimes be the most heartfelt decision. When our Blessed Mother intercedes for us before her son, she appeals to her son’s compassion and pity for us. Why Christ bothers with such a meager species as us is a mystery in itself, but he does nonetheless. And the fact that he does says something about his love for us, whom he has made to be his. Love is the smartest choice, and it is the most powerful. It always wins. Jesus could have chosen to turn his back on the followers who needed his wisdom. He could have just gone off somewhere to rest with his disciples. But because he reached out to as many people as he could, he spread the seed of his word to more people and they went off to spread it to others. This expanded the Church. He saw people seeking after him in their sojourn here on earth and wisely thought that this may be their only chance to receive the words they need to hear about the kingdom of heaven. How many times do people come into my life seeking the same thing? Should I turn away from them to get more rest, or should I reach out to them as Jesus did?

 take nothing for the journey but a walking stick

Simplicity and poverty are key themes in Jesus’ message. There’s no need to complicate the preaching of the kingdom of God. We find the kingdom of God within us not by adding anything, but by stripping away the influences the world, the flesh, and the devil have on us. Faith is not about building up a fortress to keep the world out, or a tower to reach heaven. It’s about shedding the doubts, fears, and worries that burden our hearts and souls. 

“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place”

Jesus calls himself a prophet. He does not call himself the Son of God. In fact, nowhere in the Gospels does he call himself the Son of God. He calls himself the Son of Man. God the Father calls him his son at his baptism and Transfiguration. He calls God his father, but he teaches us to do the same. He affirms Peter when Peter says “you are the son of the living God.” But Jesus consistently eludes using the title himself. Why does he do that? Because he wants others to say it. He wants God the Father to say it to give people fodder for faith. He wants believers to say it to demonstrate their faith. Anyone can claim to be the son of God. Jesus wants the claim to come from outside himself so it actually means something. He wants the testimony to be full of faith. But here, when he visits his hometown, not only do they not believe he is the Son of God. They won’t even accept him as a prophet. Some of them don’t even think Jesus is worthy to be teaching in the synagogue. They utterly lack faith probably because they are blinded by jealousy and envy. Their knowledge of who they thought Jesus was prevented them from seeing him for who he truly is. How often does my own knowledge and understandings of people, situations, and current issues hinder my faith in what God can do?

It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches …”

In this life when we are pressured by friends and family to be successful, it’s good to know that God does not expect us to become rich and famous. He wants us to seek the kingdom of God, which does not hold much value by the measurements of success the world uses. Jesus is telling us to store up our treasures in heaven, because all of our success here on earth will pass away. Even the greatest legacies of the most well-known people will be nothing but distant innocuous memories when we enter into eternity with God in his kingdom. Seeking first the kingdom of God in this life may seem like the small mustard seed Jesus is talking about in this parable. Being holy may not bring us much recognition in this life. But it will bring everlasting joy and fulfillment in heaven. 

“This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.”

Blood runs thicker than water, they say. Have you ever thought of the connection that expression has to baptism and Communion? St. John the Baptist said ‘I baptize you with water ... but the one who comes after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit’. (Matthew 3:11). The Holy Spirit is the Giver of Life, and Christ gives us life by shedding his blood for us. Christ is making a new covenant with us, not just with water to wash away original sin but with blood to wash away all our sins. Once we are cleansed by Jesus’ blood we can enter into the kingdom of God.

 I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

This is a very cryptic statement. What does Christ mean by it? One thing is clear. He is talking about a new beginning. He is giving the disciples and all who believe in him words of hope, something to look forward to, something to live for. But what that something is exactly is still hidden from us. He is making a promise. Will we trust him to keep it?

"Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."

Throughout this mission Jesus walks right beside us. At times we may not sense that he is here, but whenever that doubt comes across us, remember that God is not some ideal unreachable deity that does not bother to stoop down to humanity. He is not like the gods of ancient mythology who did not care to involve themselves in human affairs too much. Our God came down to earth and lived a life as a human being. But more than that, he gave us his Holy Spirit so he could be right beside us always. He gave us the Eucharist so he can be not just with us, but within us. He is closer to us than our own hearts. He is also all around us because he is who is. He is existence itself, and he sustains everything in existence. He is most certainly still with us in many ways, and always will be.