Devotional Thoughts for the 5th Sunday after the feast of Pentecost - 23-06-2013
Dear and Respected Brethren
By the grace of God we are entering the 5th week after the feast of Pentecost. Today’s reading, the feeding of 5000 men, is well known to all of us. The incident mentioned in today’s reading is considered as the best example of our Lord’s mode of work of the feeding mission, which was associated with the teaching and healing missions. Let us try to meditate on the 13th verse where we read: You give them to eat.” And the 17th verse, which is the last verse of today’s reading, where we read: “And they did eat and were all filled: and there were fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.” Let us concentrate on three words:
Our Lord felt compassion on the large number of people who were with Him for 2-3 days together without food and nourishment. When our Lord asked the Apostles to give food to thousands of hungry people, they did not hesitate the order or they knew what they were to do. They were so sure of the unavailability of food in the surrounding; still they did not worry about the source. When a few guests might come to our house without previous notice, we get upset about how to feed them neatly. It seems that they did not lose their hope. They shows us and explains us that the one who commands us to feed the hungry and tired is trustworthy and He could arrange what is needed for feeding the multitude. They decided to search among the multitude and finally they succeeded in fetching five loaves of bread and two fishes from a small child. They took it from the child and presented to our Lord. Of course the Apostles had an understanding what their Master could do with those five loaves and two fishes. Our Lord blessed them, broke them and entrusted the Apostles for the distribution.
Our Lord is feeling sympathy, compassion towards the hungry, needy and the poor around us and still He wants us to feed them. It is a great responsibility of all the Christians to feed the poor and the needy. Are we hearing or listening to the command of our Lord and Savior? Are we not getting satisfied in the charity projects handled by the Church altogether as well as in the Diocesan or Parish level? Unless and until we would recognize the poor and the needy as our own brethren, and do whatever they need, we cannot claim that we are trust worthy before our Lord God.
The feeling that we are filled immediately after having the breakfast, Lunch or dinner is something special, which we would not attain normally. Though we take food of any other nation, we might not get the full satisfaction. With the money power we could have any type of food of our choice/ But we often miss the satisfaction. The five thousand men and ladies to a similar strength got satisfied when they ate the bread distributed as fragments. Why and how? All of them were filled with the knowledge of the Kingdom of God and in fact they were filled with spiritual strength. So when they ate the bread mouthful, they had a strong feeling and faith that what they were eating was the gift of God. Unless we eat anything without the feeling that it is the gift of God, we will not get filled. We would always feel the absence of something, either taste or the liking. The Holy Church insists us to pray before and after the food. Let us keep up the practice that is handed over to us by our forefathers and let us teach the coming generations.
The Fragments denoted in the reading is meant to tell about the left over. The Apostles collected the fragments and it was as good as 12 baskets full. Why they collected? Was it for their gain? They have collected them to feed the hungry and the needy on their way ahead. These days we are not bothered about the leftover of the party in connection with engagement, marriage, and baptism. Until recently our people used to collect the left over and had tried to send them to the poor homes for children or elders. These days the party is held by the catering contractors and they destroy left over without giving to the needy. And our people the guest and the host alike leave the reception hall immediately after the party. This is a grave mistake. The catering contractors would make claim for what all food is arranged and practically he would not be losing. It is the responsibility of each and every one to see that the left over from the reception halls would not be destroyed. This is a small thing every one could follow. In addition to all these, let us not throw away the food and let us not waste the food. Let us always have a concern for the hungry and thirsty around us
May God bless us
Jose Kurian Puliyeril