Friars Corner: The joy of God’s provision
Fr. Bob Hilz, TOR
I Kings 4:42-44; Ps 145:10-11, 15-18; Ephesians 4:1-6; John 6:1-15
This week we begin a four-Sundays look at how God has provided his people food in dire circumstances. It begins with God providing manna and quail as food when he and Moses lead the chosen people from Egypt through the desert to the Promised Land.
The first reading describes one of the many miracle stories of the special prophets Elijah and Elisha. The Elisha story today tells of a man bringing his offering of firstfruits and fresh grain in the ear as an offering to God and Elisha. The latter directed twenty barley loaves to be given to people in need and they had leftovers.
Psalm 145 thanks God for his provision as we bless him. We look hopefully to God who opens his hand to provide for every living thing.
Miracles of God’s provision
Miracles in scripture describe how God transcends the laws of nature and provides amazing things for the people he loves. All four gospels have the multiplication of loaves stories which obviously points to the reality of this provision story: Mark 6:34-44, feeding 5000; Mark 8:1-10, feeding 4,000; Matthew 14:13-21, feeding 5,000; Luke 9:10-17, feeding 5,000 and this one in John 6:1-15, feeding about 5,000 men, not counting wives, children and many others.
These stories of the multiplication of bread, we obviously see, now point to Christ making himself present in Holy Communion, the Eucharist. Matthew 26:27-29, Mark 14:12-25 and Luke 22:7-10 describe the Last Supper miracle.
St. John relates many things that Jesus taught before he “consecrated” bread and wine during the Jewish Passover feast. By the time John wrote his gospel, he knew what the other gospels related, so he did not repeat their stories. Rather he begins his story with this miracle of multiplication.
John’s deeper meaning of bread stories
John uses this event to further elaborate its meaning. John presents his material in two levels. One is what the facts tell us. The second one elevates us to a deep spiritual meaning. The next three weeks we shall look at the emphasis Jesus places on the “breaking of the bread.” story.
We pray in the Our Father that Jesus taught us, “Give us this day “our daily bread.” In the next weeks we shall look at the significance of John’s teaching. Have a wonder-filled week and on some weekdays go get some of Jesus’ daily bread. As you take time to think about “daily spiritual bread,” you will grow more and more amazed as the Holy Spirit gives you deeper insights to the wonder of this awesome gift.
Blessings,
(© 2018 Fr. Bob Hilz, TOR)
