notice: Please see previous post on the pilgrimage to the Holy Land
III after Epiphany
READING
reading of the book ' Exodus 16, 2-7th. 13b-18
In those days. In the desert the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, "we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat at the flesh pots, eating bread to the full Instead we have brought out into this desert to starve this whole. " Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you: the people go out and gather daily ration of one day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk or not according to my law. On the sixth day, when what they should prepare to take home, will be twice what they have collected every other day. " Moses and Aaron said to all Israel: "This evening you will know that the Lord brought you out from the land of Egypt, and tomorrow morning will see the glory of the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling against him." In the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the dew evaporated, behold, on the surface of the desert was a fine thing and grainy, as small as the frost on the ground. The Israelites saw it and said to one another, "What?" Because they did not know what it was. Moses said to them: "It is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. Here is what the LORD has commanded: "Gather what each can eat, an omer apiece, according to the number of people who are with you. It will take each to those of your tent. " So did the Israelites. It gathered, some more, some less. Is measured by the omer, he who had taken more, had not too much, the one who had taken less, were not wanting. They gathered every man according to his eating.
PSALM
Ps 104 (105)
® The Lord always remembers his holy word.
E 'him the Lord our God:
over all the earth his judgments.
He always remembered his alliance,
word for a thousand generations, the covenant established with Abraham
and his oath to Isaac. ®
brought out his people with silver and gold,
tribes no one faltered.
When they left, rejoiced Egypt
who had been impressed by their terror. He spread a cloud to protect
and a fire to light them at night. ®
At their request he brought them quail and
satisfied with the bread of heaven.
He split the rock and water gushed:
flowed like rivers in the desert.
So he remembered his holy word,
to Abraham's servant. ®
EPISTLE
Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians 8, 7-15
Brothers, as you are rich in everything, in faith, in speech, in knowledge, zeal and charity in all that we have taught, be so large in this generous. I say this not to give a command, but only to test the sincerity of your love with the kindness of others. Know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: he was rich, became poor for you, because you become rich by his poverty. And in this regard I give you a hint: what is convenient for you, that since last year have been the first, not only to undertake it but also want it. Now then carry it out because, as there was the readiness of the will, so there is also the fulfillment, according to your means. If in fact there is good will, she can appreciate what the second one has and not according to what has not. It is not in fact embarrass you to lift others, but that there is equality. For the time your abundance supply their needs, so that their abundance may supply your needs, that there be equality, as it is written: 'He who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack. "
GOSPEL
Reading of the Gospel according to Luke, 9, 10b-17
at that time. The Lord Jesus took his disciples with him and retired to the sidelines, to a town called Bethsaida. But the crowds came to know and followed him. He welcomed them and began to tell them about the kingdom of God and heal those who needed care. The day began to decline and the Twelve came to him saying, "Send the crowd to go into the villages and farms in the area, to find food and stay Here we are in a deserted area." Jesus said to them: "You give them something to eat." But they said: "We have only five loaves and two fish, unless we go to buy food for all these people. " There were about five thousand men. He said to his disciples, "Let them sit in groups of about fifty." They did so and made them sit everyone. He took the five loaves and two fishes, he looked up to heaven, he recited the blessing over them, broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the crowd. They all ate their fill and were taken away from their advanced pieces, twelve baskets.
Comment
More "sign", the multiplication of the loaves, God's concern for the needs of his people, Jesus' compassion for the crowds that followed him into the wilderness, he "came so all may have life and have it abundantly "(Jn 10:10).
One day he said:" Do not worry, saying, What shall we eat? What shall we drink? What shall we wear? .. Your heavenly Father knoweth that you need them "(Mt 6.31 to 32). There is no lack of resources created for the nourishment of all. Perhaps it is the poor management that causes hunger and poverty!
But" not man live by bread alone "(Mt 4:4) and that is why Jesus spoke to them of the kingdom of God", and then to allude to a food that would give life to feed the desire for immortality that is deep in the heart of every man.
1) The manna in the desert
"What What is it? "asked the surprised looking at the Jews in the desert manna." And 'the bread which the Lord gives you in food "(Lett), Moses said. God guided his people to the promised land supporting them in their daily needs water, food, quails .. "rained upon them manna for food and gave them bread from heaven, the man ate the bread of the strong, gave them food in abundance. Rained upon them flesh as dust and sand birds like the sea "(Ps. 78,24-25.27). At Mara the bitter water Lord relented and said:" I am the Lord who heals you "( Ex 15:25). And always in the desert freed his people from poisonous snakes, foreshadowing another release: "It as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life "(Jn 3:14-15).
After the multiplication of loaves by Jesus accomplished, the people was enthusiastic .. and "came to take him to make him king" (Jn 6:15). But this time he was explicit: "Give yourself to do not work for food that does not last, but for food that endures for eternal life and The Son of Man will give you "(Jn 6:27). He went on:" Verily, verily, I say to you is not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father who gives you the bread from heaven, the true "(Jn 6:32)." Your fathers ate manna in the desert and died. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever "(Jn 6.49 to 51). Accede to his person is the ultimate solution of life is to eat a food of immortality, drinking water welling up to eternal life:" I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst, never! "(Jn 6:35).
And one day he invented a way to reach the hunger of all by giving her" meat to eat "sign in the Eucharist: the only way you are guaranteed the resurrection and eternal life, and now a gradual assimilation of him." He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him last day "(Jn 6:54). And again:" He who eats me will live because of me "(Jn 6:57). The story of Luke today makes an explicit reference to the liturgical celebration, where even today," seated in groups of fifty about, "the priest in persona Christi is what Jesus did:" He took the five loaves of bread, .. looked up to heaven, he recited the blessing over them, broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the crowd. "may have life in abundance: from material to spiritual and divine!
2) yourself Give them something to eat
The reference to the Eucharist is to say that this gift of God to man is now standing by Church, to whom Jesus gave the order: "Do this in remembrance of me!" (Luke 22:19). Even today, "the crowds followed him, looking for Jesus, and" he greeted them. " It renews the order: "You give them something to eat." She is in her care of the heart of Christ the source of the Church's mission. The Church has no other interest than to serve man as a real need for meaning and truth, giving him that bread from heaven which is God himself. Not by itself, but from Christ Church derives her wealth. Just because Christ multiplied the loaves, the apostles could distribute them and feed the multitude. The priests are intermediaries of gestures that only Christ does: whether to consecrate the Eucharist, both the baptized, is in forgiving sins. The priest acts in the name of Christ.
"We have only five loaves and two fish," complains the apostles. They are frightened by the order of Jesus to feed a great crowd. Maybe even today, Christians are frightened by the challenge of our pagan world, and they feel powerless. The call of Jesus is to believe not to their ability, but the resources of God 'need for this courageous conscience of the "power of the gospel" - which quietly but effectively transforms yeast dough. The mission has no other source of security in this lean on God was the full force of Paul: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation, distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? But in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us "(Rom 8.35-37).
" They all ate their fill and were taken away the broken pieces, twelve baskets. "As the gift is abundant of God and the Church has always reserved for all! gift of God is the spiritual food of God's Word and the Eucharist. Gift of God is also the love that comes from the Eucharist. It has never lacked the love of the Church over the centuries, always ready to "heal those who needed care." Today too the Church is the first to multiply the bread of his charity, and in mission to alleviate hunger and injustices, is here with us to overcome exclusion and new poverty.
******
Five loaves and two fishes might have been the poor child a snack that day. Will gladly give them to data. Jesus multiplies the loaves that are given, not created again. God needs men of their hearts and their lives to multiply his presence and his gift of life. This fund is in the making: we make available to the gestures of Christ in our daily life because you should take them and transform them as places and instruments of his salvation for others we encounter. We offer the offertory bread, to eat the communion as the Body of Christ because we become, come out of Mass, the body of Christ that God's love extends to everyone. Something happens to us?
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