December 03, 2014 Wednesday,
1st Week of Advent
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER1st Reading: Is 25:6–10aGospel: Mt 15:29–37
Jesus went to the shore of Lake Galilee, and then went up into thehills where he sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing the dumb,the blind, the lame, the crippled, and many with other infirmities.The people carried them to the feet of Jesus, and he healed them. Allwere astonished when they saw the dumb speaking, the lame walking, thecrippled healed and the blind able to see; so they glorified the Godof Israel.Jesus called his disciples and said to them, “I am filled withcompassion for these people; they have already followed me for threedays and now have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them awayfasting, or they may faint on the way.” His disciples said to him,“And where shall we find enough bread in this wilderness to feed sucha crowd?”
Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” Theyanswered, “Seven, and a few small fish.”So Jesus ordered the people to sit on the ground. Then he took theseven loaves and the small fish and gave thanks to God. He broke themand gave them to his disciples, who distributed them to the people.They all ate and were satisfied, and the leftover broken pieces filledseven wicker baskets.
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Does being in need excuse us from our responsibility towards others? Today’s Gospel message says no. The people had only followed Jesus for three days but Jesus showed so much concern for them like they had been tried and tested followers of his. In contrast the Apostles merely shrugged their shoulders when told to feed the people. “And where shall we find enough bread in this wilderness to feed such a crowd?” they asked sarcastically. This answer exposed their alarming attitude to God and neighbor.
They didn’t have faith in the God of abundance and they didn’t have the compassion for their hungry fellowmen. Then Jesus asked: “How many loaves do you have?” Personal need is the weakest excuse before God because God knows what we are keeping to ourselves.
If like the Apostles we refuse to help others on the ground that we too are in need, God will make an audit of the blessings we have received just as Jesus asked the Apostles how many loaves of bread they had in their possession. Need cannot excuse us from our social responsibility because no one can be honest and say he had received nothing from the Lord. No one is too poor as to have nothing to give. Any little we can let go for others is a good start for Jesus to perform another miracle of multiplication of the loaves.- Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM . Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org.
May comment ka ba sa column ni Father Dan? May tanong ka ba sa kanya? I-type ang BANDERA REACT <message/name/age/address> at i-send sa 4467.