HOMILY OF 18TH SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME — YEAR A
HOMILY OF 18TH SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME — YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: IF YOU WANT TO SEE A MIRACLE BE A MIRACLE
BY: Fr. Gerald Muoka
A devout man sits by his window, watching a shivering, starving beggar on the street corner. Distressed by the injustice and misery in the world, the man looks up to the heavens and prays angrily: “O God, how can you see this suffering and do nothing? Why don’t you send help to this poor soul?” A sudden silence fills the room, and a voice echoes back to the man’s conscience: “I did send help. I sent you.”
My dear friends, today’s Gospel reading presents us with the story of the feeding of five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish by Jesus. This miracle occupies a unique place in the Gospel tradition. It is the only miracle of Jesus, apart from the resurrection itself, that is recorded in all four Gospels.
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This great miracle, which astonished even the gospel writers, apart from its Eucharistic theme, highlights another important lesson: Becoming a miracle for others to experience miracles. Most times, our interest is in performing or desiring to witness miracles without knowing that we can become miracles in little ways.
In the Synoptic Gospels’ account, the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand started with the apostles and the young boy because they provided the loaves and fish. They were the instruments of the miracle in Jesus’ hands. God doesn’t work in a vacuum. A seed must be planted before a harvest is expected.
In Matthew’s account we read today, the apostles provided the bread even though they never believed they could become miracles by their provision.
Whereas, in John’s account, John 6:9, a young boy, gave Jesus all he had, five loaves of bread and two fish, and Jesus used that tiny amount to feed a multitude. Thus, the young boy/apostles became instruments of miracles in Jesus’ hands.
What could have happened if the apostles/the young boy refused to provide the loaves and fish? Of course, Jesus, as God, could have alternatives, but he chose to use their generosity to teach us a lesson: If you’re going to see a miracle, be a miracle. Imagine the outcome of the little boy’s gesture of generosity in John’s account.
Our world is bleeding today. The United Nations Statistics on humanitarian affairs revealed that each day, 25,000 people, including more than 10,000 children, die from hunger and related causes. Some 854 million people are undernourished worldwide. We ask ourselves, Is God going to be blamed for the hunger and poverty in the world? Is God going to come down to satisfy and eliminate hunger and poverty in the world? Our introit story has the answer. God got you and I. The problem of the world is greed. Mahatma Gandhi said, “The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.” They problem is that we have not heed Christ’s command, “Give them something to eat.”
Reflect today on how you could be a miracle for others without being a wonder-worker. St. Terese of Lisieux called is “Little Way to Heaven.” A smile, a hug, or encouraging words might be a miracle to someone having a bad day. A visit or ride to the sick or homebound might be the miracle he/she may have prayed for. Your little donation might be what someone has prayed for months. Your signature or recommendation might be someone’s one-month midnight prayer point.
Take Home Messages
To be a miracle to others, you’ve got to repeat the Eucharistic actions of Jesus, who is the miracle of the world: He took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them.
1. Take yourself, your gifts, talents, and blessings
2. Bless it, by recognizing they came from God not by merit (you’re only a steward of God’s blessings).
3. Break it by breaking away from your needs and selfishness.
4. Give it by touching lives and coming miracle yourself.
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