17th Sunday In Ordinary Time
26 July 2009
First reading 2 Kings 4:42-44
A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing Elisha, the man of God, bread from the first-fruits, twenty barley loaves and fresh grain in the ear.’ ‘Give it to the people to eat’, Elisha said. But his servant replied, ‘How can I serve this to a hundred men?’ ‘Give it to the people to eat’ he insisted ‘for the Lord says this, “They will eat and have some left over.”’ He served them; they ate and had some left over, as the Lord had said.
Psalm or canticle: Psalm 144:10-11,15-18
Second reading Ephesians 4:1-6
I, the prisoner in the Lord, implore you to lead a life worthy of your vocation. Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience. Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together. There is one Body, one Spirit, just as you were all called into one and the same hope when you were called. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God who is Father of all, over all, through all and within all.
Gospel John 6:1-15
Jesus went off to the other side of the Sea of Galilee – or of Tiberias – and a large crowd followed him, impressed by the signs he gave by curing the sick. Jesus climbed the hillside, and sat down there with his disciples. It was shortly before the Jewish feast of Passover.
Looking up, Jesus saw the crowds approaching and said to Philip, ‘Where can we buy some bread for these people to eat?’ He only said this to test Philip; he himself knew exactly what he was going to do. Philip answered, ‘Two hundred denarii would only buy enough to give them a small piece each.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said, ‘There is a small boy here with five barley loaves and two fish; but what is that between so many?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Make the people sit down.’ There was plenty of grass there, and as many as five thousand men sat down. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and gave them out to all who were sitting ready; he then did the same with the fish, giving out as much as was wanted. When they had eaten enough he said to the disciples, ‘Pick up the pieces left over, so that nothing gets wasted.’ So they picked them up, and filled twelve hampers with scraps left over from the meal of five barley loaves. The people, seeing this sign that he had given, said, ‘This really is the prophet who is to come into the world.’ Jesus, who could see they were about to come and take him by force and make him king, escaped back to the hills by himself.
Reflection
By Gharri Tulabut
“Magagawa natin ang lahat ng bagay
Ang lahat ng bagay sa mundo
Ilang bagay ay di magagawa
Ang di magagawang nag-iisa
Kung tayo’y magkakaisa
Malulutas lahat ang problema
Isang magandang kinabukasan
Puno ng kasiyahan!”
This is a song we used to sing in my Religion class in grade school. We enjoyed singing the song especially when we added actions to it. But I never understood what it meant. I was confused with the words nag-iisa and magkakaisa. For me they had one and the same meaning, that is to be alone or by yourself. I always find it funny that in the 2nd and 3rd lines it says I cannot do one thing alone but in the 4th and 5th lines it says that if I am alone (my wrong understanding), all problems will be solved. But being a shy boy that time, I never asked older people to help me understand the lyrics.
It was only during the first People Power Revolution that I learned what magkaisa meant. And so was the meaning of that song that used to confuse me. And I believe it has the same message as our Gospel reading for today, that is the miracle of sharing. One thing that was even clearly exhibited to me twenty years later by a friend and officemate, Tere.
Tere belongs to the sector we now call young urban professionals or yuppies. She rents a house, gives to her folks, enjoys a night out with friends and able to save just enough for small investments for the future. She lives a simple yet happy and secured life. Though simplicity is how I describe her lifestyle, Tere has this habit of celebrating her birthdays like some celebrities do. No, I am not talking about the grand celebration like the recent party of a boxing champion’s mom. Tere actually throws parties in orphanages. The program lineups include feeding the children, a little singing and dancing, and gift giving. But where does she get all the money to spend? I think you know the answer. It’s through sharing. Tere asks friends to contribute to her cause and miraculously collects enough to hold her grand party. Yes she is definitely like a celebrity to the eyes of those children and to the eyes of God.
I admire Tere. She is like the boy who first gave his five loaves and two fishes to the Lord which later on multiplied through the miracle of sharing. She is such a good role model of a friend that I wish I could emulate in the future (don’t worry, I’m starting).
Bayanihan, pakikisama, pakikiramay pagkakaisa – we call it by different name. We Filipinos have shown this trait in different ways, big or small. We cannot do most of the corporal works of mercy alone. But when we share no matter how small we can give, we will be able to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick and the imprisoned or help in burying the dead.
Lord, thank You for letting us touch the lives of other people. May we continue to perform miracles through the miracle of sharing. Amen!
A Knight’s Tale
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