Lord, Give Us Your Food To Eat
Introduction
The first reading in the 18th and the 19th weeks is taken from the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy. It describes the journey of God’s people through the desert, with the trials of the difficult journey, the temptations of discouragement, lack of faith and trust, material and materialistic needs, infidelities, complaints. We have to learn to place them in the context of our own itinerary through life as Christians, our own deserts with temptations, difficulties and grumbling. And gradually, they are inviting God’s anger and courting the fiery serpents.
We know that an immense number of people in many places of the world have not enough to eat today. Many others have plenty to eat, and yet they are hungry, for people do not live on bread alone: they are in need of peace and love, they hunger for justice and appreciation; they are in need of God. We, Jesus’ disciples today, cannot remain indifferent to these hungers, for Jesus has told us: “Give them something to eat yourselves.” If we share the little we have, the kingdom of God is among us.
1 Reading: Numbers 11:4b-15
The children of Israel lamented, “Would that we had meat for food! We remember the fish we used to eat without cost in Egypt, and the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now we are famished; we see nothing before us but this manna.” Manna was like coriander seed and had the colour of resin. When they had gone about and gathered it up, the people would grind it between millstones or pound it in a mortar, then cook it in a pot and make it into loaves, which tasted like cakes made with oil. At night, when the dew fell upon the camp, the manna also fell. When Moses heard the people, family after family, crying at the entrance of their tents, so that the LORD became very angry, he was grieved. “Why do you treat your servant so badly?” Moses asked the LORD. “Why are you so displeased with me that you burden me with all this people? Was it I who conceived all this people? Or was it I who gave them birth, that you tell me to carry them at my bosom, like a foster father carrying an infant, to the land you have promised under oath to their fathers? Where can I get meat to give to all this people? For they are crying to me, ‘Give us meat for our food.’ I cannot carry all this people by myself, for they are too heavy for me. If this is the way you will deal with me, then please do me the favour of killing me at once, so that I need no longer face this distress.”
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 81:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
R. (2a) Sing with joy to God our help.
“My people heard not my voice,
and Israel obeyed me not;
So I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts;
they walked according to their own counsels.” R.
“If only my people would hear me,
and Israel walk in my ways,
Quickly would I humble their enemies;
against their foes I would turn my hand.” R.
“Those who hated the LORD would seek to flatter me,
but their fate would endure forever,
While Israel I would feed with the best of wheat,
and with honey from the rock I would fill them.” R.
Alleluia: Matthew 4:4
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Matthew 14:13-21
When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” He said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” But they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.” Then he said, “Bring them here to me,” and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over–twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.
Commentary
When people are hungry we often see an unpleasant side of their character. Remember the old saying: a hungry man is an angry man. The worst situation is to be “hangry”. The Hebrews in the desert were given manna. But they quickly tired of that and longed for the food that was theirs in Egypt. Moses’ patience was exhausted, as he felt that he could no longer carry this burden alone. He would rather face death than continue to support such an obstinate people.
The people who followed Jesus also found themselves at one point without food. In his compassion, Jesus provides enough for the crowd to eat, with nothing more at his disposal than five loaves of bread and a few fish. He says to his disciples: give them food to eat yourselves.
The narrative contains a strong Eucharistic imprint as Jesus blesses, breaks, and gives. In other words, the account cannot be separated from its Eucharistic implications.
We too are often anxious and dissatisfied in life and, like the Hebrews, are inclined to forget the goodness of a providential God. Jesus is the bread from heaven who continually provides for us in many ways, not the least of which is in the Eucharist. The common elements of daily life become the body and blood of the Lord. Our anxieties pale in insignificance before the goodness of the Lord.
Blessing
That Jesus is sharing the food of himself with us in the Eucharist is for us a double sign: that we have to care for the hungry and do what we can to help them, and second, that we too commit ourselves to one another, putting ourselves at the service of one another knowing that we are all members of his kingdom. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!