May the Lord give you peace and health in the Holy Spirit. It is on 7th August 2023.
We celebrate the memorials of Saints Xystus and companions, martyrs and St. Cajetan, a priest.
Are we contended or contentious with God?
We reflect on Numbers 11:4-15; and the Gospel from Matthew 14:13-21.
In times of need and want, there is always someone to take the necessary initiative in bringing the matters to the table of the Lord.
In the first reading, having heard the people’s grumbling, Moses presents the issue of providing meat for the nation. Moses pleads with God for people to consider their petition. At times, we too are not satisfied with what God gives us.
We prefer returning to the most painful and sinful situations looking for temporary material gains forgetting the spiritual connection with the one who provides us even in such abject conditions of lives. We tend to become ungrateful and greedy when one need is taken care of by the Lord. We demand and complain to God even if we end up blaming God for neglecting us and ignoring our needs.
Just look at the situation in the first reading. God went out of His way to provide manna for the entire nation daily yet people demanded meat. We are never satisfied and contented with what God gives us. God performed a miracle in front of the eyes of the Israelites. Yet, they failed to recognize what God was doing in their lives. Indeed, through this miracle of manna, God was building a nation with dignity and wanted to teach them to lean on God.
But, the right to have more blinded the goodness of God. In moments of greed, we are truly blindfolded with mistrust in God.
What does occupy our minds always? Let us learn to be satisfied with what we have already and then to what we would like to have. Beware of our unfulfilled desires and crushes and make us forget the gifts of God such as life, food, health, family and friends. God always cares for our needs but not greed.
The Gospel presents us with the miracle of feeding the multitude. As God feeds the hungry people in the first reading, Jesus, the Son of God extends His care and love towards the multitude by feeding them with what they had.
Jesus performed this miracle to show that however little like five loaves we have when it is placed in the hands of Jesus, it is multiplied to feed even five thousand men excluding women and children. Instead of murmuring and complaining about hunger in us and around us, let us take the initiative like that of the Apostles to share what they had with those who had nothing. God is willing to perform much greater miracles when we are willing to cooperate with the plan of God. May you have a good day.