GOD PROVIDES.
July 28, 2024.
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – B.
“The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.”
Ps 145:16
A Nepalese proverb says: “The god who made the mouth will
provide the food.” A Turkish proverb adds: “For the birds that cannot soar, God
has provided low branches.”
God always feeds our needs. This is not only about the
spiritual, but also the human and material needs. God provides. His Providence
is enough for all. To operate, God's Providence requires only our human faith.
That is our little contribution. Faith is the key to the abundance of God's
grace.
In today's liturgy, a song can be heard, and it will
constitute the directive line of our meditation on the word of God. "The
hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs." Ps 145:16 The Lord
always outstretches his hand. He feeds all who trust in him. He is always eager
to answer our needs.
I belong to a religious congregation named the Sons of
Divine Providence. When asked why Sons of Divine Providence and what it means
to be called so, our founder, St. Luigi Orione answered: "Sons of Divine
Providence means Sons of faith.
That is actually what we are, children, Sons of Faith.
People whose faith always goes ahead and leads them in every endeavor and
action. We believe that we can do nothing without faith and that in everything,
God will provide. Our definition of faith is Heb 11:1: "Faith is the
realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen." Faith
stands as the substance, the being, the reality, the proof, the inner
conviction, and the evidence that when God has his hand in something, he will
bring it to completion. And we live by such faith.
Today's first reading and the Gospel are hymns of God's
Providence and of our human faith. The Prophet Elisha feeds a hundred people
with twenty barley loaves as an act of faith in God's Word. "For thus says
the Lord, ‘They shall eat and there shall be some left over.’” Jesus in the
Gospel, Jesus feeds about five thousand men without counting women and
children, with five barley loaves and two fish.
The similitudes are great in these two Bible extracts. The
origin of the bread in the Old Testament passage is a donation: "A man
came from Baal-shalishah bringing to Elisha, the man of God, twenty barley loaves
made from the first fruits, and fresh grain in the ear." In the Gospel,
“There is a boy... who has five barley loaves and two fish...” and he gives it
for the needs of all. God's Providence is at work when man gives the little he
has for the needs of all. The man in the first reading is nameless. The same
for the little boy in the Gospel. It could be you and me. Our little offerings
and contributions are always made great when we bring them to God for the needs
of the whole community.
At every Eucharistic celebration, we have our offerings or
collections. We are not putting millions or billions in the collection boxes or
baskets. But the little we generously offer is always more than enough for the
needs of the whole community and the poor.
The Catechism, regarding today's readings, says: "The
miracles of the multiplication of the loaves, when the Lord says the blessing,
breaks and distributes the loaves through his disciples to feed the multitude,
prefigure the superabundance of this unique bread of his Eucharist." CCC
1335. Elsewhere, the Catechism says: "Communion in charity. In the
Sanctorum Communio, "None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to
himself." "If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member
is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and
individually members of it." "Charity does not insist on its own
way." In this solidarity with all men, living or dead, which is founded on
the communion of saints, the least of our acts done in charity redounds to the
profit of all. Every sin harms this communion." CCC 953
The Providence of God is at work where there is communion,
charity, and faith. When people close themselves in their individualistic and
self-centered interests, what they seem to have becomes never enough. They
always thirst for more and more and are never happy with what they already
have. Many people live today as eternal unsatisfied because of greed. And the
consumerist world in which we are today does not even help to quench their
thirst. While those who open themselves to the needs of others want nothing. To
see others happy feel them with joy. Charity is the key. And genuine faith is
nourished in that charity. The world has enough material good for all. But
because of greed, we do not see it. God provides for all. Could we turn to
become channels of his Providence, just like the little boy in the Gospel or
that man in the first reading.
St. Paul in the second reading challenges us. From the words
of the Apostle, we are one body. We have one Lord. We profess one faith. And we
all have received one baptism. This is an urgent and firm call to unity. The
Apostle Paul starts saying, "I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live
in a manner worthy of the call you have received..." We have the calling as
Christians. We are made children of God through our Baptism, so, brothers and
sisters in Christ and with each other. Our brotherhood should be made manifest
in the love and concern for the needs of each other. It is not enough to
partake in one Eucharistic Bread or drink from one Chalice. Our unity should be
more effective as proof of our unique and common faith. Humility, gentleness,
love expressed in charity... these must be values we all share in our
communities.
Brothers and sisters, let us dream together of a better world. Let us make this world a better place for each one of us. No one of us will save himself alone. Your salvation will come from your brothers and sisters, just as your peace also comes from them.
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