The Nazareth Page - A gospel meditation for your home
June 22, 2025 – Body and Blood of Christ , Luke 9:11-17
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
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To sustain human life, we need nourishment. Primarily that comes from consuming healthy food and drink. In most parts of the world there is enough food. But in some regions, insufficiency reigns. And this is not just a personal problem, but it is also a moral one. The Earth probably produces enough for all, but it is poorly distributed in some areas. Feeding the hungry is one of the corporal works of mercy. Lessening hunger should be a goal for all of us.
Today’s gospel is chosen for this Sunday when we recall the gift of spiritual nourishment Jesus instituted in the Eucharist as food for our spirits. But it is also an opportunity for us to reflect on the matter of world hunger, one of the more unacknowledged and pressing needs in our world today. To help us make feeding the hungry more of a concern to us, we do well to meditate about the feeding of the multitudes by Jesus on a day when there seemed to be not enough food for those gathered to hear him. His close disciples, being ever vigilant (sometimes), noticed that the day was well on and they were far from any place that might serve them needed food. The crowd needed to be fed.
In response to this matter Jesus suggested what to many might have seemed an impractical solution. He inquired from his disciples what food they had brough for themselves. Five loaves of bread and two fish, they said. Jesus immediately directed them to pass out to the crowd all they had! All the loaves and the two fish. As they began following the directions of Jesus, the crowd noticed what they were doing. Then came the miracle!
Suddenly many of those in the crowd began to unwrap the carefully hidden bread they had brought just for themselves. They broke it into bite size pieces and passed it out to those who had none. Soon everyone had their fill. We know how the story ended. Once all shared all that they had, just as Jesus and his disciples had done, everyone had enough to eat. In fact, more than enough.
And I like to add one further thought. It was on that marvellous day that Jesus also invented one of my favorite forms of nourishment, leftovers! Whenever leftovers are on the family menu, I give thanks to Jesus as I experience the multiplication of meatloaf and creamy mashed potatoes from yesterday’s dinner.
David M. Thomas, PhD