Gospel: John 6:1-15
Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd followed him because
they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the
mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of
Passover was near. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was
coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to
eat?” He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to
do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be
enough for each of them to have a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, the
brother of Simon Peter, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley
loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Jesus said, “Have
the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the
men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave
thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of
the fish as they wanted. When they had their fill, he said to his disciples,
“Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” So they
collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five
barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. When the people saw the
sign he had done, they said, “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come
into the world.” Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him
off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.
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Reflection:
The story is told about a married couple who always find it hard to
sustain their family's basic financial needs. A relative advised them to always
be present in the Holy Mass celebration in their village’s chapel. The married
couple asked their relative, “Why is there a need for us to always be present
during Holy Mass?” Their relative told them that they need to be present because
this is where they meet, interact and be one with the Bread of Life which is
Jesus Himself.
The big crowd in the gospel was running after Jesus, primarily because of
His miracles, healings and life changing sermons. The crowd was more than five
thousand and Jesus was naturally concerned for their welfare. He
therefore wanted to feed them but there was no enough bread and fish. So what
Jesus did was he asked for whatever bread and fish that they have.
Upon getting hold of the bread and fish, He looked up in thanksgiving to
God. Thereafter Jesus gave the bread and fish to the crowd and He was able to feed
them all. They also had plenty to spare: twelve wicker baskets and some
fragments. It was not only the crowd’s physical hunger that was satisfied by
Jesus, He also satisfied their spiritual thirst.
When we attend Holy Mass, we are also feed by Jesus with the same bread
which He gave the crowd. It happens the moment we partake of His Body and Blood
during Holy Communion. During Holy Communion we are also nourished physically
and spiritually by the Bread of Life, Jesus Himself!
This is what occurs when we attend Holy Mass. We are always being
nourished by Jesus Himself! The same Jesus that fed the crowd who were
following Him in the gospel. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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