Mark 6:34-44 What We All Hunger For
Why do I love the Lord? Because He loves me. He reached out to me at an early age; in ways that I would not understand until years later. The Lord was truly behind me every step of the way; especially when I was lost. I feel the Lord’s presence in my life. I know, this feeling can be dangerous, passing, fleeting. But I have experienced his saving actions over and over again. When all appeared to be lost, he rescued me. When I asked, I received. Not always in the manner in which I expected, but I always received what I needed most: his strength, compassion, mercy and love.
“Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us.” (1Jn 4:7-10)
In Today’s Gospel, we experience the multiplication of the loaves from five loaves and two fish. Thousands ate. In fact, “They all ate and were satisfied.” Isn’t it amazing what the Lord can do with so little? Isn’t it amazing what the Lord can do through me? At every single Mass, I feed thousands. How amazing are these words: “Take this all of you and eat it, this is my body which will be given up for you.” Or these words, “Through Him, with Him, in Him…” What the Lord can do through one priest. Now, if he were only holy!!!
St. John Vianney was deeply moved during Midnight Mass as he held the consecrated host over the chalice. Tears ran down his face alternating with smiles. He held it for a long time as the hymn took forever to be completed. The choir director apologized for the delay, he replied, “Oh, I did not find the time long.” St. John was praying to Christ in the Eucharist. He said to him, “If I knew that I should have the misfortune to be deprived of seeing you throughout eternity, now that I hold you in my hands I should never let you go.”
Isn’t it true with life itself? If I knew that today would be my last, would I have the misfortune of facing fear or doom? Would I despair in the poor decisions I made? Would I wish for another chance? The Lord will give us all another chance. Today, I must make it my constant desire to live life to the full! To receive grace upon grace! To fill the void that has been given to me. I must love neighbor as much as myself. This is what the Lord seeks from me. To take me, break me and distribute me to others. What he did with the meager scraps he gathered together, he wishes to do with me! He wishes to make of me a temporary “Eucharist” for others.
We know that if we give our lives to the Lord, he can divide and multiply it. We know that the Lord can do amazing things through us. We all know that the Lord is waiting with great anticipation for that day when I will lay down my life and give it to him so that he can give it to others. We know what it takes: faith, hope and love. The Lord provides his grace; we only need to respond to it. “The Lord has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor and to proclaim liberty to captives.” Today, he demands even more. To influence the lives of all the people we meet. I wish, I desire, I hunger to be a gift to others. With Him, all things are possible; nothing is ever wasted.
Well Done Father! Excellent meditation!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
God Bless, Rose :)
Very powerful meditation Father!! God is so good, I wish everyone will get to know him and love him as much as He loves us...
ReplyDeleteI feel the Lord’s presence in my life. I know, this feeling can be dangerous, passing, fleeting.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why feeling the Lord's presence is dangerous. I understand that relying on the feeling may be dangerous, but I don't understand what's wrong with the gift of feeling His presence.
My experience has been that it has given me faith and hope when I no longer 'felt' it.
There are times when I have started to doubt, and the memory of that time, brings me back and reminds me that yes, He is real and I will 'feel' it again even if it doesn't happen until I die.
Yes there is grief when it is gone, but for me the experience was worth ANY suffering that I've had in my life. And I've been through LOTS of suffering!
"At every single Mass, I feed thousands."
ReplyDeleteWhen I read this beautiful meditation on the Eucharist I was jealous. How I would love to walk in your shoes for a day! To be able to turn bread and wine into the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. To be Christ in the confessional and absolve someone of their sins.
But as I meditated on this, I also began to see the struggles and sacrifices you face as a priest as well. So instead of being jealous, I will allow the Lord to "take me, break me and distribute me." I will allow Him to use me in the vocation that he has called me to and "be a gift to others." And also give thanks for you and all the priests that allow themselves to be broken so that we may be fed.