Reflections for the 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time

This coming Sunday's readings beautifully weave together a narrative of God's providence and generosity, reminding us that "the hand of the Lord feeds us." They invite us to trust in God's provision, embrace unity within the Body of Christ, and recognize Jesus as the true Bread of Life.

In 2nd Kings 4:42-44, a situation has arisen where there is scarcity of food, but the prophet Elisha instructs the man to share the twenty loaves of barley bread and fresh grain that he has with a hundred people. Through the prophet's obedience and faith, God multiplies the food, and everyone is fed with some left over. This story foreshadows the miraculous feeding of the multitude in the    Gospel of John.   

St. Paul, in his Letter to the Ephesians 4:1-6, emphasizes the importance of unity and peace within the Christian community. As members of the Body of Christ, we are called to live in humility, gentleness, patience, and love, bearing with one another in unity. Just as the boy offered his small lunch of fish and loaves to Jesus, we are called to offer ourselves and our gifts to God and to one another in service and love.

In John 6:1-15, disciples encounter a boy who offers his five barley loaves and two fish to Jesus to feed the multitude. Despite the apparent inadequacy of the boy's offering, Jesus takes it, blesses it, and multiplies it to feed five thousand people with twelve baskets of leftovers. This miracle demonstrates the power of God to transform our meager offerings into abundance and to provide for our needs beyond what we can imagine.

The story of both Elisha and the boy with the fish and the loaves in Jesus’ time challenges us to trust in God's provision and to offer what little we have in faith, knowing that He can work miracles with our small offerings. It reminds us that God can take our humble gifts, no matter how insignificant they may seem, and use them for His glory and the good of others.

Today’s readings remind us to offer ourselves and our resources to God with open hearts, trusting in His abundance, and provision. May we have the faith of the boy with the fish and the loaves, willing to give what we have and witness God's miraculous work in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

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