PASTOR’S WEEKLY MESSAGE 18

“They all ate as much as they wanted”

In the readings of today, we meet someone who has the power to give us food.  He is a Father and shares the parental concern to provide food to His children.  And He gives us the best food we need—illustrated by the invitation He extends to us in the first reading:  ‘Come…though you have no money, come!  Buy corn without money and eat.’

These words were spoken very long ago, even before Jesus came to this earth.  When Jesus came, He made these words come true.  In the Gospel today, we see Him feeding a crowd of more than 5,000 people.  They had been following Him and listening to His teaching the whole day.  Now it is evening time, and He sees their need, their hunger, and He feeds them.  God’s invitation is not only for people of the past.  If we make our needs known to Him, He will help us.  Notice the words God spoke through the prophet:  ‘Though you have no money, come.’  And He repeats His invitation a second time:  ‘Listen to me and you will have good things to eat, and rich food to enjoy.’  God does not ask us to pay for the food He offers us.  We see the same thing in today’s gospel.  The Apostles wanted Him to send the people away.  They could go and find their own food.  But Jesus replied:  ‘There is no need for them to go; give them something to eat yourselves.’

Jesus knew well what He would do.  He was the one who would feed them, and again without asking them to pay.  This is God’s way.  Our God is a generous God, and He likes to give us, His children, all that is good.  This is something we need to remind ourselves of.  God is not only able to help us, but He is ready to do so.  The only thing He asks is that we become aware of our need for Him.  He is not only ready to help us; He is eager to come to our aid.  God is generous.  He loves to give in plenty.  The 5,000 people Jesus gave food to “…all ate as much as they wanted.”  It was a gift—God’s gift—as great as they needed.  He filled not only their hunger, He also filled their desire—'as much as they wanted.’  This is what we pray in the Psalm, “You open wide your hand, grant the desires of all who live.”

This is wonderful to hear.  Among us human beings, this does not happen very often.  When we go to someone asking for something, we may hear things like:  I am very sorry, but I cannot help you or I am very busy now, come back later.  And even when we do get help, often it is too little, it is not as much as we need, let alone as much as we desire.  But with God, it is different.  God fills our needs fully and completely.

Our needs are many, indeed, and our hunger is of many kinds.  We hunger for food, yes, but for so many other things too, don’t we?  There is within each of us the hunger for friendship with people; the hunger to be loved and cared for; the hunger for peace of heart; for help in our difficulties; for comfort in our sorrows; and a great hunger for happiness—a happiness that will endure beyond just a few days.  Yes, all of this we hunger for...  Are we ready to trust the message we have heard today from God Himself?  Are we willing to allow Him to satisfy the hunger we feel?  He is ready to give us food in plenty.  Are we ready to receive it?  Whenever we feel hungry, let us turn to Him, and we will receive as much as we need.