The homily wasn't a bad one--it was Tradition vs. tradition and the preciousness of the Eucharist. I
focused on the Gospel Reading:He said to them, "Give them some food yourselves."
They replied, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have,
unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people."I looked around the church. It was a nice church in the city of New Brunswick, but there couldn't have been more than 100 in attendance. Now the men there numbered about five thousand.I thought of the millions in need of spiritual nourishment which would have to come from those who attended mass today--many times the number who made it.Then he said to his disciples,
"Have them sit down in groups of about fifty."
They did so and made them all sit down.
Then taking the five loaves and the two fish,
and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing over them, broke them,
and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.
They all ate and were satisfied.
And when the leftover fragments were picked up,
they filled twelve wicker baskets. "Your fathers ate manna in the desert and died. But I am the living bread. If anyone eats of this bread, they will live forever."By tradition, we are the Body of Christ. The first citation comes from hymns...look around for a while in the communion section. You'll see it before too long.
So, putting it all together:
An overwhelming number of people are spiritually hungry, in need of the Body of Christ. We, as devout Catholics and other Christians, are part of that body, but in numbers we are small. How can so few of us nourish such a multitude? Once we have nourished them, what is left of us? Like the five loaves and two fish before a crowd of 5000 men, plus women and children, we must be blessed, we must be broken by God. Then all shall eat and be satisfied, and what remains of us will be more than even what we are now. So Be Not Afraid.
The Gospel is a story with many parts and subtleties, and it takes some doing to have the whole thing in one's head at once, but I did also recall the reference to manna, and the idea that what we can expect can exceed what we have been shown. "Your fathers ate manna in the desert and died," but Jesus gives nourishment for eternal life. Five loaves and two fish fed over 5000 physically--how much more awaits us when we are the loaves and fish, and as such those loaves and fish are the Body of Christ?
And what may happen when once more, or maybe for the first time, mankind realizes victory over death and fears it no longer? To love life, yet to realize those who threaten yours have no real power. Only through faith are such things possible. But did you see that guy who tried to tackle Pope Benedict off the popemobile the other day?
They replied, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have,
unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people."I looked around the church. It was a nice church in the city of New Brunswick, but there couldn't have been more than 100 in attendance. Now the men there numbered about five thousand.I thought of the millions in need of spiritual nourishment which would have to come from those who attended mass today--many times the number who made it.Then he said to his disciples,
"Have them sit down in groups of about fifty."
They did so and made them all sit down.
Then taking the five loaves and the two fish,
and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing over them, broke them,
and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.
They all ate and were satisfied.
And when the leftover fragments were picked up,
they filled twelve wicker baskets. "Your fathers ate manna in the desert and died. But I am the living bread. If anyone eats of this bread, they will live forever."By tradition, we are the Body of Christ. The first citation comes from hymns...look around for a while in the communion section. You'll see it before too long.
So, putting it all together:
An overwhelming number of people are spiritually hungry, in need of the Body of Christ. We, as devout Catholics and other Christians, are part of that body, but in numbers we are small. How can so few of us nourish such a multitude? Once we have nourished them, what is left of us? Like the five loaves and two fish before a crowd of 5000 men, plus women and children, we must be blessed, we must be broken by God. Then all shall eat and be satisfied, and what remains of us will be more than even what we are now. So Be Not Afraid.
The Gospel is a story with many parts and subtleties, and it takes some doing to have the whole thing in one's head at once, but I did also recall the reference to manna, and the idea that what we can expect can exceed what we have been shown. "Your fathers ate manna in the desert and died," but Jesus gives nourishment for eternal life. Five loaves and two fish fed over 5000 physically--how much more awaits us when we are the loaves and fish, and as such those loaves and fish are the Body of Christ?
And what may happen when once more, or maybe for the first time, mankind realizes victory over death and fears it no longer? To love life, yet to realize those who threaten yours have no real power. Only through faith are such things possible. But did you see that guy who tried to tackle Pope Benedict off the popemobile the other day?