Dear Parishioners and Friends of the Parish,

The readings for this Sunday point towards the aspect of meal, unity and God’s generosity; an intrinsic quality of every Christian life. There is also a glimpse of the Eucharist which is the source and summit of Christian life. 

The first reading speaks about prophet Elisha miraculously feeding a hundred people from just a sack full of first fruits offered by a farmer. 

In the second reading, St. Paul urges the church at Ephesus to be patient, to bear with one another and make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit. 

The Gospel reading is about the feeding of the five thousand with only five loaves of bread and two fish, which a little boy generously offered to Jesus.  This is the only one miracle of Jesus that is included in all the four Gospels. 

This miraculous feeding has always been seen by the Church Fathers as an image of the Eucharist. Using a familiar formula for Jewish tradition of breaking of the bread and thanksgiving. The Greek word for "thanksgiving" is eucharisteo, where we get our word "Eucharist."

In this great miracle of feeding, as in the Last Supper and, in fact, every Jewish prayer of blessing over food, thanksgiving precedes the meal.

We too are called to give thanks to God for everything that we receive from Him. St. Paul told the Thessalonians, to Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (I Thess. 5:16-18)

The feeding of the 5,000 was more than a dinner miracle to impress the gathering. It provided a connection to God's provision of Israel during their wilderness wandering with Moses. 

In addition, Jesus is giving each of us an invitation to live a life of multiplication, taking what we have and trusting ourselves to Him. This begins with offering to God what we have and then give him thanks for what He is about to do.

In one of his Angelus messages, Pope Benedict stated, “The miracle was not worked from nothing, but from a first modest sharing of what a simple lad had brought with him. Jesus does not ask us for what we do not have. Rather, he makes us see that if each person offers the little he has the miracle can always be repeated: God is capable of multiplying our small acts of love and making us share in his gift.”

Let us truly be a eucharistic community gifted with the qualities of sharing, thanking and uniting with one another. 

May we all become Eucharist-centric community!