Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
(II Kings 4:42-44; Ephesians 4:1-6; John 6:1-15)
Dear brothers and sisters, today we begin an anomaly in the liturgy. For
five Sundays, we interrupt our reading of the Gospel according to Saint Mark to
reflect on the "Bread of Life Discourse" in the Gospel according to
Saint John. The discourse helps us understand the Eucharist, which Vatican II
called "the source and summit of Christian life."
Today's reading can be seen as the material on which Jesus reflects in
the discourse. Its intention is to raise the question: "Who is
Jesus?" We cannot understand the Eucharist without first having a correct
concept of Jesus.
The reading begins with many people following Jesus to the other side of
the Sea of Galilee. They have seen him performing miraculous cures and want to
see more of them. They do not yet have faith in Jesus; they are simply amazed
by his power. They make up an immense crowd of five thousand men, and who knows
how many women and children?
Jesus assumes the role of a gracious host when he asks Philip, "How
can we buy bread so that these people may eat?" He is concerned that everyone
will be well-nourished, but he has more in mind than calories and carbohydrates. He is
going to provide spiritual nourishment so that they may have life in abundance.
This is the reason for the question. He wants to know if Philip has been able
to penetrate his humanity to recognize his divinity.
As if it were a Mass, Jesus takes the bread, gives thanks to God for it,
and distributes it among the people. Because he is such a good host, he serves
the fish in the same way. Bread and fish comprised the basic foods for lunch
among the Palestinians two thousand years ago. They were like rice and beans or
tortillas and beans for various peoples today.
After the distribution of food, Jesus asks his disciples to gather the
leftovers. Because they gather only the bread, it can be said that it, and not
the fish, is the provision emphasized here. The twelve baskets of leftovers
indicate not only the enormity of the miracle but something deeper. Each basket
represents one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Just as God fed the Israelites
with manna in the desert, Jesus feeds the crowd on the shore of the Sea of
Galilee. The implication is clear. Jesus is like God in his concern and action on
behalf of the people. The Book of Exodus explains that by being satisfied with
manna, the Israelites would know that the Lord was their God. Thus, the
Galileans should recognize Jesus as God by the multiplication of the loaves.
However, the people do not yet reach this conclusion. They call Jesus
only "the prophet" of whom Moses speaks in the book of Deuteronomy.
They also attempt to proclaim him king. These roles pale when compared to
reality. The prophet would be like Moses, not like God. Also, every human king
serves for a limited time and with power subject to being surpassed by another’s.
Only God reigns forever with absolute power.
But what kind of bread does Jesus have that multiplies to nourish entire nations?
And what is the spiritual nourishment that yields life in abundance? Finally,
how exactly should we understand life in abundance? To answer these questions,
we have to reflect deeply on the Bread of Life Discourse in the coming weeks.
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