Sunday July 28, 2024

Receiving all that Jesus wants to miraculously give us requires that we trust him to provide for us.

Good News Reflection for:

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 28, 2024

Today’s Prayer:

Lord, help me to serve You with humility and courage, always trusting in Your divine providence. Amen.

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Today’s Readings:

2 Kings 4:42-44
Ps 145:10-11, 15-18
Ephesians4:1-6
John 6:1-15
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072824.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/daily-mass-reading-podcast-july-28-2024

The truth about the miracle of multiplication

I’ve heard this Sunday’s Gospel reading de-supernaturalized with explanations such as: “The real miracle is that Jesus got the people to share the food they had brought with them”, and even this: “There wasn’t enough food for everyone to have their fill, but what they had was offered to everyone, and the people were just so appreciative and willing to make sacrifices that they ate very little and thus there was food left over.”

Yeah, r-i-i-ight. As if God can’t multiply food miraculously.

The multiplication of the loaves and fish into a meal that not only satisfied everyone but was more than what they needed is an important foreshadowing of the Eucharistic banquet that we celebrate today. If we pay close attention to what’s going on in Mass, and if we take it to heart, Jesus satisfies our hungers and gives us more than we need. What did you need from him before you arrived at church? He’s trying to give it to you or lead you to it — in abundance!

Receiving all that he wants to miraculously give us requires that we trust him to provide for us. We have to expect the unexpected. We have to wait on his perfect timing. But rest assured that he wants to give us more than we need.

Maybe some of the folks on that ancient hillside wanted steak instead of fish, but what they received was a Messiah who filled their hearts with more than enough faith to grow spiritually, more than enough hope to become stronger in their trials, and more than enough love to share as they went forth to reveal Christ to others.

In our Liturgies of the Eucharist, there’s a lot more abundance to receive from Jesus than just a little wafer of his Body and a sip of his Blood. (This is the theme of my new book, My Soul Shall Be Healed @ https://gnm.org/terry-modica-author/my-soul-shall-be-healed/).

What do you really need from Jesus? More faith? More hope? More love? It’s a good idea to think about this on the way to Mass so that you can participate in Mass more expectantly.

Questions for Personal Reflection:
Why do you go to Mass? Was there ever a time when you didn’t go, and if so, why didn’t you? What motivated you to start attending Mass again? How satisfied are you now? What’s missing? How might God provide for those needs?

Questions for Community Faith Sharing:
What is available from Jesus during Mass other than his real presence in the Host and Precious Blood of the Eucharist? How are the various elements of Mass gifts from God that can help satisfy our spiritual, emotional, and even physical needs?

For more on this, watch our video, “Just Trust Me, Jesus Says” @ https://gnm-media.org/just-trust-me-jesus-says/.

© by Terry A. Modica, Good News Ministries

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