SOLEMNITY OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST, June 23, 2019
(Genesis
14:18-20; I Corinthians 11:23-26; Luke 9:11-17)
More and
more they appear in the streets. Now
they can be seen on highways. They are certainly found on corners with traffic
lights. They always ask for alms. Along with a cardboard cup they carry signs
saying: “Anything will help”; "God bless you"; "Will work for
food." They are of different ages, of different genders, and of different
races. They are addicts and alcoholics, homeless and unemployed. In some cases,
they are also impostors. In a sense they are similar to the needy in the gospel
today.
People have
come from many places to listen to Jesus. Being very late in the day, they are
hungry. The apostles turn to Jesus worried. They ask him to let the people go
to buy food. But Jesus has another idea to meet the people’s needs. He tells
his companions, "'Give them some food yourselves'". He also tells us
in the case of street beggars: "'Give them some food yourselves.'"
This
mandate covers more than food. Some of the beggars have neither houses nor
clothes nor medicines. Others are in serious need of medical and psychological
care. How can we fulfill the mandate? If we give them cash, it is very possible
that they will squander it on drugs. If we just give them food, would we just
be putting a Band-Aid on a hemorrhage? We can pass the responsibility to other
entities. Maybe we want to write to our congressman that the government provide
more help. Or maybe we can give a donation to a charity to do something on our
behalf. But is this what the Lord wants us to do when he says, "'Give them
some food yourselves.'"
The apostles
do not get frustrated in the reading but wait for a directive from the Lord.
When he tells them, they put the people in groups of fifty. This number is
roughly the number of Christians in the communities of the early Church. Then
Jesus blesses the five loaves and two fish that are at hand. He passes them to
the apostles to be distributed among the people. It turns out that there is
more than necessary to feed more than five thousand people.
Like the
early church we have to wait on the Lord. It is up to us to pray to Jesus to
help us take care of the people on the street. At the same time, we want to do
something if only give them a nod of recognition. They are not nobodies but
sons and daughters of God. Perhaps the Lord will lead us from a simple recognition
of their humanity to even more significant forms of help. In this way, "'Give
them some food yourselves'" will not be just a request to provide food for
others. Rather it is made into a recommendation to reorient our lives toward
the Lord.
The second
reading supports us in the reorientation. St. Paul speaks of "a new
covenant" between God and humans. This covenant has united us to God so
intimately that we are incorporated into his Body. We can count on his support
even his direction when we approach him with our need. With it we can solve the
most pressing social challenges. Likewise, we can count on him with our
personal concerns. He will not leave us alone because we are parts of him.
Some are
upset when they see beggars in the street. Perhaps they get even more disturbed
when they hear Jesus say, "'Give them some food yourselves.'" But this type of reaction is neither
desirable nor beneficial. Rather let us put them in the hands of the Lord. Let
us pray both for ourselves as well as for them. Let's ask him what exactly he
wants us to do. And let's not forget to ask him to help us in the effort.
