CHRIST COMPLETES OUR OFFERINGS

Now the day began to wear away; and the twelve came and said to him, ‘Send the crowd away, to go into the villages and country round about, to lodge and get provisions; for we are here in a lonely place.’ But he said to them, ‘You give them something to eat.’ They said, ‘We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.’ For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, ‘Make them sit down in companies, about fifty each.’ And they did so, and made them all sit down. And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And all ate and were satisfied. And they took up what was left over, twelve baskets of broken pieces.” (Lk 9: 12-17)

The disciples thought the crowds of people should be sent away, to get their own provisions. But our Lord has a different idea: You do it, He says to the disciples, “You give them something to eat.” And they do end up feeding the crowds, – but not without the Lord’s “help.”

That’s how things work in the Church. We do “feed” or nurture one another, from the little we have to offer (like, “no more than five loaves and two fish”), – but not without the Lord’s help. The little “we” bring to the table, be it a kind word, or a donation to the needy, or an hour or two of our time, to listen to a troubled person, or to show up for our child’s piano recital, or to couples’ therapy with our frustrated spouse, or to a church-service, or a church bake-sale, – our small offering is often “not enough,” outside of God’s grace. So let me do the next right thing today, but also let Christ into the picture, by re-connecting with Him, that He may add to my words and actions that “extra something,” namely, His grace, which is always “enough” to truly “satisfy” both me and those around me.