Frederick, Maryland, United States - Daily Mass Reading & Catholic Meditation “The Word among Us” for Sunday, 3 August 2014Meditations: Matthew 14: Supper for Five Thousand
13-14 When Jesus got the news, he slipped away by boat to an out-of-the-way place by himself. But unsuccessfully—someone saw him and the word got around. Soon a lot of people from the nearby villages walked around the lake to where he was. When he saw them coming, he was overcome with pity and healed their sick.
15 Toward evening the disciples approached him. “We’re out in the country and it’s getting late. Dismiss the people so they can go to the villages and get some supper.”
16 But Jesus said, “There is no need to dismiss them. You give them supper.”
17 “All we have are five loaves of bread and two fish,” they said.
18-21 Jesus said, “Bring them here.” Then he had the people sit on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then gave the food to the congregation. They all ate their fill. They gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. About five thousand were fed.
18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Give them some food yourselves. (Matthew 14:16)
Tony Melendez was born without any arms. But he was also born with a gift for music, so he developed a unique way to share that gift. He played with his feet, starting with a push-button organ and moving to the guitar and harmonica. Combining his musical gifts with his faith, Melendez became involved in music ministry.
In 1987, he played before Pope John Paul II, who leaped out of his seat, embraced the young man, and said, “My wish for you is to continue giving this hope to all the people.” Melendez is still doing that through his ministry, giving concerts and motivational talks, supporting people with disabilities, and helping young-adult and missionary programs.
Tony Melendez is a perfect illustration of the principle we see at work in today’s reading. The disciples didn’t have that much going for them. Five loaves and two fish couldn’t possibly feed such a huge crowd! But they brought their meager portion to Jesus, who blessed it and gave it back to them. Notice: he didn’t distribute the meal himself. He told the disciples to do it. Not sure what to expect, they handed out the bread and fish—and the impossible became possible!
By telling the disciples to feed the crowd themselves, Jesus made it clear that the miracle would not happen without them.
What do you have to offer today? Don’t worry if it seems paltry. Offer it to the Lord anyway. Give him your work, play, or study. Give him the difficult situation that you’re dealing with. Give him your imagination or your anxieties. Ask him to bless it, transform it, and use it for his Father’s glory. Then, like Tony Melendez, work with whatever you have. As you do, you’ll find God’s power multiplying your offering, “feeding” the people around you.
“Lord, I give you my heart. Thank you for accepting me as I am. I trust that you will let none of my gifts go to waste!” Amen!
Isaiah 55: Buy Without Money
1-5 “Hey there! All who are thirsty,
come to the water!
Are you penniless?
Come anyway—buy and eat!
Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk.
Buy without money—everything’s free!
Why do you spend your money on junk food,
your hard-earned cash on cotton candy?
Listen to me, listen well: Eat only the best,
fill yourself with only the finest.
Pay attention, come close now,
listen carefully to my life-giving, life-nourishing words.
I’m making a lasting covenant commitment with you,
the same that I made with David: sure, solid, enduring love.
I set him up as a witness to the nations,
made him a prince and leader of the nations,
And now I’m doing it to you:
You’ll summon nations you’ve never heard of,
and nations who’ve never heard of you
will come running to you
Because of me, your God,
because The Holy of Israel has honored you.”
Psalm 145:8 God is all mercy and grace—
not quick to anger, is rich in love.
9 God is good to one and all;
everything he does is suffused with grace.
15 All eyes are on you, expectant;
you give them their meals on time.
16 Generous to a fault,
you lavish your favor on all creatures.
17 Everything God does is right—
the trademark on all his works is love.
18 God’s there, listening for all who pray,
for all who pray and mean it.
Romans 8:31-39 So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:
They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.
Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion:
(Isaiah 55: Buy Without Money
1-5 “Hey there! All who are thirsty,
come to the water!
Are you penniless?
Come anyway—buy and eat!
Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk.
Buy without money—everything’s free!
Why do you spend your money on junk food,
your hard-earned cash on cotton candy?
Listen to me, listen well: Eat only the best,
fill yourself with only the finest.
Pay attention, come close now,
listen carefully to my life-giving, life-nourishing words.
I’m making a lasting covenant commitment with you,
the same that I made with David: sure, solid, enduring love.
I set him up as a witness to the nations,
made him a prince and leader of the nations,
And now I’m doing it to you:
You’ll summon nations you’ve never heard of,
and nations who’ve never heard of you
will come running to you
Because of me, your God,
because The Holy of Israel has honored you.”
Psalm 145:8 God is all mercy and grace—
not quick to anger, is rich in love.
9 God is good to one and all;
everything he does is suffused with grace.
15 All eyes are on you, expectant;
you give them their meals on time.
16 Generous to a fault,
you lavish your favor on all creatures.
17 Everything God does is right—
the trademark on all his works is love.
18 God’s there, listening for all who pray,
for all who pray and mean it.
Romans 8:31-39 So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:
They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.
Matthew 14: Supper for Five Thousand
13-14 When Jesus got the news, he slipped away by boat to an out-of-the-way place by himself. But unsuccessfully—someone saw him and the word got around. Soon a lot of people from the nearby villages walked around the lake to where he was. When he saw them coming, he was overcome with pity and healed their sick.
15 Toward evening the disciples approached him. “We’re out in the country and it’s getting late. Dismiss the people so they can go to the villages and get some supper.”
16 But Jesus said, “There is no need to dismiss them. You give them supper.”
17 “All we have are five loaves of bread and two fish,” they said.
18-21 Jesus said, “Bring them here.” Then he had the people sit on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then gave the food to the congregation. They all ate their fill. They gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. About five thousand were fed.)
Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion:
1. In the first reading, we hear these words: “All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come receive grain and eat. Come, without paying and without cost.” What an offer! All Jesus is asking is that we “come” to Him and he will give us everything we need, and we will “delight in rich fare.” How would you describe your “thirst” for the Lord? What specific things can you do this week to increase that thirst and “come” to the Lord?
2. Again in the responsorial psalm, we read that the “hand of the Lord feeds us; he answer all our needs.” What are the needs in your life that require the Lord’s grace and power? In these areas, how do you want the Lord to touch you?
3. In the second reading, St. Paul reviews the circumstances of his life (persecution, famine, etc.) and concludes that none of it can separate him from “the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” To what extent do you believe this as well for your life? How can you use this truth to guide your prayer time and how you live out your day?
4. In the Gospel, we read that Jesus’ heart was “moved with pity,” and he feeds the large crowd earthly bread. But at every Mass, we are fed by Christ with Himself, the bread of eternal life. How hungry are you for this bread? How can you increase your hunger for Jesus, the bread of life?
5. The meditation describes the exceptional ministry of Tony Melendez, who was born without arms. The meditation also encourages us with these words to offer whatever gifts we have to the Lord: “Ask him to bless it, transform it, and use it for his Father’s glory. Then, like Tony Melendez, work with whatever you have. As you do, you’ll find God’s power multiplying your offering, ‘feeding’ the people around you.” What are some ways you can use the gifts the Lord has given you to bring glory to God?
6. Take some time now to pray and thank the Lord for his great love for you and ask him to let none of the gifts he has given you go to waste. Use the prayer at the end of the mediation as the starting point.
“Lord, I give you my heart. Thank you for accepting me as I am. I trust that you will let none of my gifts go to waste!” Amen!
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