Faith and Mission 

Loaves and Fishes 

The gospel reading last Sunday was a story that is very familiar to us. The miracle of the loaves and fishes is one of the few stories that are found in all four of the Gospels. The gospel writers were keen to show that, like Moses receiving manna from heaven when his people were suffering in the desert, Jesus, the ‘New Moses’, provides spiritual sustenance to all who are willing to hear His Word. 

Last Sunday Pope Francis encouraged us to think about the message of giving and sharing in the story.  The story is not about ‘multiplying’ as many think – the verb to multiply is not used – rather the verbs are ‘breaking’ and distributing’.  The logic of giving here, says the Pope, is so different from ours.  We try to accumulate and increase what we have, but Jesus asks us to give, to diminish. The true miracle, says Jesus, is not the multiplication that produces vanity and power, but the sharing that increases love and allows God to perform wonders.  Let us try, implores Pope Francis, to share more: let us try the way Jesus teaches us.

During this time of the pandemic the story can inspire us to always think of the needs of others even when we ourselves are anxious and worried about the future.  Strength and fortitude come from compassion and generosity; there are always people who are struggling more than we are and we can always keep less (diminish) so that others have more.