First Reading
2 Kings 4:42-44
1. Elisha knows that twenty loaves won’t be enough to feed the crowd. He must trust God over his own logic. Is this leap-of-faith kind of trust ever required in your life? Does such trust becomes easier with practice? Feeding everyone is very important in these readings. How important is feeding the hungry to you today?
2. Both Elisha and the man from Baal-shalishah had to have faith that a miracle would happen. Do you consider miracles only “something that breaks the laws of nature”? Are there some everyday miracles in your life?
Second Reading
Ephesians 4:1-6
1. Paul reminds the brothers and sisters to “preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit.” What do you do to preserve unity when it seems that such unity is going away? Are all people welcome to the church, since even Judas was welcome at the first Eucharist?
2. Which would be better, to preserve the peace by not talking to anyone with whom we disagree, or to preserve the unity by staying and talking out the problem?
Gospel
John 6:1-15
1. What do you think God is more likely to do, miraculously drop food where there is starvation or inspire people to help their neighbors solve their problems? If the latter, how can you help (through the Holy Spirit) in third world countries, your city, diocese, parish, office, or neighborhood?
2. Andrew said to Jesus, “there is a boy here who has five barley loves and two fish. … Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining.” Pope Francis wants us to ask ourselves if God can use our gifts even though they are in the “two fish, five loaves” category.
Whatever we have can bear fruit if we give it away—that is what Jesus wants to tell us—and it does not matter whether it is great or small. The Lord does great things with our littleness, as he did with the five loaves. He does not work spectacular miracles or wave a magic wand; he works with simple things. God’s omnipotence is lowly, made up of love alone. And love can accomplish great things with little.
The Eucharist teaches us this: for there we find God himself contained in a piece of bread. Simple, essential, bread broken and shared, the Eucharist we receive allows us to see things as God does. It inspires us to give ourselves to others. It is the antidote to the mindset that says: “Sorry, that is not my problem,” or: “I have no time, I can’t help you, it’s none of my business.” Or that looks the other way.
Pope Francis Homily on Loaves and Fishes
June 23, 2019
