18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflection

During the week , as I surfed through the net I saw this picture  labelled as the ‘image of famine.’ The image was that of a very young Somali boy, literally looks like  mere skin and bone carried by his mother. That image really broke my heart. And then when I read the article about it, it said that that boy would have been only hours away from his death if he wasn’t taken to the Refugee camp. I felt so sorry for the boy that I wanted to cry. I was heartbroken. I wished I can help these people in some ways. From the bottom of my heart I asked God to help these people, for I believe he is the only one who can help them for I don’t have enough means to do it.

But today’s gospel reminds me of my insensitivity. Matthew’s account today is the first of his two accounts of Jesus’ miracle on the loaves. When his disciples suggested  that Jesus should tell the people to go and buy food, Jesus answered them “There is no need for them to go: give them something to eat yourselves.” The disciples protested “we only have five loaves and two fish.” Jesus would have answered, “and that is something, give it to them.”  And we know the rest of the story. All were filled even they collected baskets of leftovers afterwards.

Friends, we have something. God supplies us with everything we need. We don’t have anything really that we can call our own, except sin. All that we have comes from God. And Jesus in our gospel today is telling us to ‘give this something’ to those people who are in great need. Jesus didn’t say ‘everything’ we have, we would give. He said just ‘something’ but this needs to be given to him because he is the only one who can make our little contribution bigger and greater for the benefit of many.

What can we do then?

First: Listen to God as Prophet Isaiah tells us in the First Reading today. If we look at this event and all other events in the world today, and listen, we can hear that God is actually saying something for us there. He’s saying enough ‘loving things’ but Love ‘my people’. At the end of our life we are judged by love John of the Cross said. Jesus would say to us later “I am hungry and you gave me food’, I am thirsty and you gave me drink…etc.” We can only claim we’ve done this if we love our neighbours, if we are sensitive to the needs of our brothers and sisters.   

Second: Let’s us examine our lives. What is that something that Jesus wants us to give away for the people who need our help? For instance, a portion of our day’s wage to be given to Caritas, Red Cross, Catholic Mission, and many other ways provided by God for us to be instrument of his love for all.

Jesus, help me to be someone to other people and make me do something to share your love to others. Amen.