YEAR A: HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 2ND WEEK OF EASTER (1)

YEAR A: HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 2ND WEEK OF EASTER

HOMILY THEME: THE SAVING ACTION OF JESUS

BY: Fr. Benny Tuazon

HOMILY: (Jn. 6:1-15) Friday of the Second Week of Easter

In today’s Gospel Jesus feeds more than five thousand people who were following Him. They were attracted to Him because He was giving them great signs like healing the sick. But one more was to come. From the five barley loaves and two fish, Jesus fed them to their satisfaction with much leftovers to spare. Always, the early Christian community regarded this not only as a miracle but also a view to what is now called the Holy Eucharist.

It was a wonder how more than five thousand people were fed with five loaves and two fish. But we should wonder more with what the Holy Eucharist had in store for us. It was a bloodless representation and continuation of the saving action of Jesus when He died on the cross. It nourishes us spiritually. Its dynamics is for us to celebrate and receive it worthily so that we can fully benefit from the graces it provides. The Holy Eucharist is our life.

We were commanded to worship the Lord. The Church commands us to celebrate the Eucharist at least every Sunday. It sounds like an obligation but, hopefully, it will be imbibed as a necessity not only in life but also for salvation. How can we celebrate the Holy Eucharist if we are not in good terms with the host who is the Lord? How can we avail of its graces if we are not disposed for it? How can we attain salvation if we do not will it? Willing it entails being worthy of it. It means loving the Lord our God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. We celebrate not only partially but with our whole self. God, in Jesus Christ, had done His part in loving and saving us. We ought to respond also with love and willingness to be saved. “God created us without our consent. He will not save us without our consent.” (St. Augustine of Hippo)