One of the most famous miracles of Jesus was the feeding of the multitudes. In Mark’s Gospel, there are at least two occasions when Jesus did this. The first speaks of Jesus and the disciples seeking some quiet time but being followed by a large crowd. The Gospel says (Mk 6:34-44):
…and he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length. By now it was getting late, and his disciples came up to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and it is getting very late, so send them away and they can go to the farms and villages around about, to buy themselves something to eat”.
The disciples’ solution to the growing problem of feeding so many was to send everyone off to fend for themselves. Jesus had another plan:
He replied, “Give them something to eat yourselves”. They answered, “Are we to go and spend two hundred denarii on bread for them to eat?”
Jesus’ response to the disciples is the same to us when faced with people in need. Do something yourself! As Pope Francis said:
You pray for the hungry. Then you feed them. That’s how prayer works.
The disciples did not see that feeding so many was something they could fix. They probably thought that this really was not their responsibility in the first place. Were they to spend their own time and money fixing something that they did not cause? In fact, the people had followed them – it was their fault they were now hungry!
How many times do we convince ourselves of this very thing when we see someone in need?
Jesus’ solution, in comparison, was about solidarity – taking on the responsibility to address the plight of the many to produce miraculous results:
Then he ordered them to get all the people together in groups on the green grass, and they sat down on the ground in squares of hundreds and fifties. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing; then he broke the loaves and handed them to the disciples to distribute among the people. He also shared out the two fish among them all. They all ate as much as they wanted. They collected twelve basketfuls of scraps of bread and pieces of fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand.
The great miracle is that when we share what little we have, are, or can do, we produce outcomes far beyond expectations, and which provides enough for all to have their fill. Many are in need. In fact, based on 2018 figures, one child will die every 10 seconds from undernutrition. Around 9,000 are homeless in Perth, with about 15% of these being under 12. That is approximately 1,350 children like the students at OLA having nowhere they can call home. Yet, how many of us will turn away from them, seeing this as something that is not our problem or too dire or immense for us to do anything about? The same is true concerning the environment and the social crisis in our Common Home.
Thankfully, Christ did not turn us away, despite accepting responsibility for a more significant burden than our physical hunger. Just as He died on the cross, Jesus presents Himself to us in the Eucharist – his body becoming our body, his precious blood becoming ours. Like a nursing mother who literally gives of herself to nourish her infant, so Christ does this for us…and he does this as a lasting gift of self-giving every time (“as often as”) we remember him through the Eucharist.
This Sunday is the Solemn Feast of the Corpus Christi or ‘the Body of Christ’. It reminds us of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and his offering up of himself for us without knowing us. Why? Because we were in need, and he loves us. Every time we celebrate the Eucharist and receive Christ into our lives and bodies, we remember and develop our own covenantal promise of solidarity and love. We were gifted in this Sacrament with an embrace from God and an expression of love far beyond what words could express. As it was once said:
Without the Eucharist, God becomes a monologue.
In return for this loving and gift of salvation, we promise to remember Him, His death and resurrection, His teachings and His promises. We pledge to proclaim them in our daily lives – we promise never to forget His love for us. So, I urge you this week to take a risk and go to Mass, even if it has been a long time. He wants to see you – he misses you. As you approach the altar to receive the Holy Sacrament of Eucharist, prepare yourself for receiving Christ by remembering the personal expression of love that God presents to you and be genuinely grateful. Then proclaim His death and resurrection to and for the world in whatever small way you can.
The OLA community has provided you with the perfect opportunity with their Winter Appeal. They ask for donations of essential items and non-perishable food, which will go to the St Vincent de Paul Society Winter Appeal to be distributed to the homeless and needy in Perth. Then on Wednesday 16th of June, there is a Pyjama Day where students will be asked to bring a gold coin donation to go to LifeLink and the outstanding work they do in Perth with the marginalised and disadvantaged throughout the Archdiocese. Of course, please give more than a gold coin if you are able. Help us, the OLA School Community, in these worthy appeals to take notice of those in need of our love and care and not turn away.
Dr Nathan Leber
