Feed Them Yourself

Our Gospel tells of Jesus feeding thousands with just a few loaves and fishes.

This is of course a miracle, but it's also a foreshadowing of the Eucharist.

Jesus’ actions at the Last Supper are very similar to those in this passage.

As are the priest’s at every Mass.

… looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples.

These are familiar actions and words.

And we know that the offering is more than just the physical food.

That the food is a symbol of Jesus offering his whole self.

We hear: This is my body and This is my blood.

And know that the bread and wine have passed beyond the symbolic stage.

And have actually been transformed in substance.

We experience this miracle often, many of us daily.

So, even though we can’t explain it, we’re familiar and comfortable with it.

But today’s Gospel passage also raises a less familiar aspect.

The disciples tell Jesus that the crowd’s hungry.

And Jesus responds, Give them some food yourselves.

The disciples have no idea how to do that.

But with Jesus’ guidance they do actively contribute to the feeding.

They scout up the five loaves and two fishes.

They distribute the miraculously-multiplying food to the crowd of thousands.

And they collect the leftovers.

That idea of active contribution is also carried into our Eucharistic celebration.

We bring our gifts to the altar.

We bring the gifts of bread and wine—the works of human hands.

But at that point they’re already taking on added symbolic meaning.

They represent all the gifts that all of us offer at that moment.

Then we each join in praying that the gift we chose to offer may be acceptable to God.

We also add a few drops of water, symbolizing ourselves, into the wine.

And pray: By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ,

Who humbled himself to share in our humanity.

So, before consecration, the bread and wine are already symbolic of much more.

And already mingled with the gift each of us is offering.

It’s only after all that is prepared that we move on to the consecration.

Where those already-symbolic gifts are transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ.

So, we’re not only fed, but like those early disciples we actively contribute to the feeding.

Whatever gift we choose to offer gets incorporated into that body and blood of Christ.

At every Mass when the gifts are presented at the altar,

We each have an important decision to make.

How much of myself will I offer today?

Tuesday After Epiphany

Mk 6:34-44     Read this Scripture @usccb.org