Recently as I was coming out of a fast-food restaurant, a man, appearing to be homeless, approached me and said he was hungry. I took him into the store and offered to buy him breakfast. He immediately ordered the most expensive item on the menu. I expected him to choose a cheaper item and felt resentful that he was “taking advantage” of my good will. As I left, I told him that I wanted him to do something for me in return—to pray for me. He agreed and indicated that he loved Jesus. Then, he asked me if I would pray that he get a job.
As I walked to my car I wondered if I should have insisted that he order a cheaper item—something more fitting for a “beggar.” Then that still, small voice inside of me said: “I am abundant with you, why would you not want to be the same with others.” Case closed.
Today we read one of the stories in which Jesus fed a multitude of people. It is interesting how he approached the “fast food” issue (Mark 6:34-44).
“When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things. By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said, ‘This is a deserted place and it is already late. Dismiss them so they can go to surrounding farms and villages and buy themselves something to eat.’”
Dismiss them. That was the practical advice that the disciples gave to Jesus. They assumed automatically that the people buy food for themselves; after all, Jesus had already given them a day’s worth of “spiritual food.” And, food cost money, and they had only enough for themselves. It made sense to “dismiss class.”
We know what Jesus did. He had compassion for this people, not just because they hungered for God’s Word, but because their stomachs were growling as well. God’s abundance reaches into every aspect of our lives, not just the spiritual part of us. The disciples, of course, had no idea that God could provide food for this group without spending money.
“Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people…They all ate and were satisfied. And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments…Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men.”
This miracle of food reminds us of the abundant love our God, whom we call “Abba,” has for us. Jesus wasn’t stingy. He didn’t say: “Now everyone take just a small piece so there is enough to go around.” He, in effect, said: “Eat as much as you want.” We read that all were “satisfied” and there twelve baskets of scraps left over.
St. John reminds today that the abundance of God is not just in providing us food but in providing us his own Son(1 John 4:7-10).
“In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.”
Talk about insane generosity! God himself loves us so much that he gave up his only Son that we may have life. Do we realize what’s happening when we receive Jesus in the Eucharist—feeding on God’s love incarnate—Jesus Christ his only Son? How can we, God’s adopted sons and daughters, be stingy when we realize what God is giving us, right now—freely and abundantly.
“May he rule from sea to sea…” (Ps 72:8).
