God Multiplies Our Loving Deeds
The miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes and its association with the Eucharist, and the importance of sharing our possessions, were the central themes of the His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI's remarks before praying the Angelus on 29 July 2012 with faithful gathered in the inner courtyard of the Apostolic Palace at Castelgandolfo.
In the narrative of feeding the five thousand as recounted in the day's Gospel, "the emphasis on the topic of 'bread' which is shared, and on giving thanks, are references to the Eucharist", the Holy Father explained. The narrative also mentions a boy who, seeing the difficulty in feeding so many people, shared the little he had: five loaves and two fish. Thus "the miracle did not come from nowhere, it came from an ordinary boy's desire to share what he had. Jesus does not ask us what we do not possess, but shows us that if each of us offers the little we have, a miracle can always happen. God is able to multiply every one of our small deeds of love and make us share in His gift".
In this episode "the crowds were struck by wonder. They saw Jesus as a new Moses, worthy of power, and the new manna as a guarantee for the future. But they stopped at the material aspect, at what they ate, while the Lord, realising 'they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, withdrew again to the mountain by himself'. Jesus is not an earthly king who rules, but a king who serves, who bends to man's level to meet not only his material hunger, but his deeper hunger, his hunger for guidance, meaning and truth, his hunger for God".
For more information, please visit:
http://www.news.va/en/news/god-is-capable-of-multiplying-our-gestures-of-love+
Trust in Jesus Christ! Trust in him, like the boy mentioned in the Gospel story of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes (cf. John 6:1-13). The Evangelist John tells us that a great crowd was following Jesus. Seeing all those people, he asks the Apostle Philip: "How are we to buy bread so that these people may eat?" This was a challenging question: in those circumstances it was hard to find food to satisfy such an enormous number of people. The disciples rightly replied: "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little". In fact, Jesus wanted to put their faith to the test. He was not relying on an adequate supply of material goods but on their generosity in offering the little they had.
Generosity: this sentiment welled up in the heart of a boy who came forward and offered five barley loaves and two fish. Too little, the disciples thought: "What are they among so many?" Jesus appreciated the gesture made by this boy…and, taking the loaves, he gave thanks and distributed them to the people, as he did with the fish. What human reason did not dare to hope became a reality with Jesus thanks to a young boy’s generous heart.
…You must become conscious of what you possess, of your five loaves, your two fish, that is, of the resources of enthusiasm, courage and love that God has instilled in your hearts and in your hands, precious talents to be invested for others.
Rediscover the value of your person, where God’s Spirit dwells as in a temple: learn to listen to the voice of the One who came to dwell in you through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, to the voice of the "Paraclete" — as Jesus calls him (John 14:16, 26) — of him who teaches and supports, defends and comforts, the soul's sweet Guest….
Turn your gaze to Mary, Mother of the Church and Star of Evangelization. Her whole life tells you that nothing is impossible to God. By imitating her and constantly invoking her, you will be able, like her, to bring joy and love….
His Holiness Pope John Paul II
Letter to Young People8 September 1997
For the complete text, please visit:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/letters/1997/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_19970908_missione-cittadina_en.html+
The new evangelization does not consist in proclaiming a new message different from the one that has always existed, nor in merely using new strategies or boisterous methods to attract people…. The new evangelization must be geared to ensuring that the men and women of this secularized society return to living their happiness in the presence and closeness of God's love in their lives. It is a matter of returning to the freshness of the Gospel, of letting themselves be filled with surprise and wonder by the word of Jesus himself, as happened when he began his public life and the people who heard him asked themselves “What is this? A new teaching!”, and were surprised at Jesus' actions (cf. Mark 1:267).
Jesus' words were not only new but were also effective. The newness was not only in his manner of speaking or acting, but in his very Person; the Word of God made flesh, God bursting into our lives. He is therefore always new for all humanity and, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, his words are ever timely.
So it is that we must seek the newness first of all in the Gospel proclaimed: it is the “Good News”, the joyous announcement of the “coming of the kingdom of God promised over the ages in the Scriptures.” (Lumen Gentium, 5)….
His Excellency José Octavio Ruiz Arenas
Secretary, Pontifical Council for Promoting the New EvangelizationFor the complete text, please visit:
http://www.news.va/en/news/the-return-to-first-love+
Are we always conscious of and generous with the gifts which God has bestowed upon us?
Sometimes it is beyond our imagination how the Lord can transform our gifts—especially those gifts which we or others might deem to be “simple” or even “inadequate”. Each of us has been given unique talents, skills, abilities, knowledge, and experiences. The Bread of Life nourishes and strengthens us so that we may share our God-given gifts in a spirit of faith, hope and love.
What are we willing and able to give to Jesus, in thanks and praise, for God’s glory and the good of the Church and the world?
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