Homily for the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

The Priceless Lessons Of The Feeding Of The Five Thousand

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Church of St. Bridget of Minneapolis, MN

Sunday, July 28, 2024 

Apart from the Resurrection, the narrative of Jesus feeding the five thousand people with five loaves and two fish is the only miracle recorded in all the four Gospels. Evidently, the authors of the Gospels considered the miracle a significant one that should not be excluded from their writings. In the words of St. John, “There are many other things that Jesus did” that were not individually described and recorded, that if everything were written down, “the whole world would not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25). The account we have today is from John’s Gospel (6:1-15). And according to St. John, the number of people fed is five thousand men. But in Matthew’s account, we hear “Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children” (Matthew 14:21). It is the reason why many biblical scholars believe that the actual number of people fed that day could have been 15,000—20,000. 

In his account, John says “Jesus went up on the mountain.” After sitting down, he is surrounded by his disciples. As Jesus looks up, he sees a large hungry crowd of people coming to him. Right away, he asks Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” Philip states the impossibility of them providing everyone bread to eat. But the disciples found a boy with five loaves and two fish. Was the boy selling the items? Were the food items his meal? We have no idea. But what we know is that he gives them up to the disciples and Jesus. Then Jesus takes the loaves and fish, blesses them and breaks them into smaller pieces. But the breaking did not stop there. It keeps multiplying until everyone in the crowd has eaten and is full and satisfied. To make this miracle even more delicious, twelve baskets full of leftovers were collected. 

In the light of this amazing miracle, I would like to look at some of the enduring spiritual lessons of this event. First lesson: God is always in control. How? When Jesus asks Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” John says, “He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do.” Jesus already knew what he was going to do to feed the people. But he wants Philip and other disciples to be fully aware of what is about to happen. He does not want them to be caught off guard. He wants to increase their faith in divine providence. He wants them to know that in every circumstance, God is always in full control. Don’t ever forget this stubborn fact— God does not need me or you or anybody to accomplish anything. But because he created us in his own image and likeness, God does invite us to participate in his victory. 

Second lesson: the God we worship is a God of multiplication. As the boy handed over his food to Jesus and his disciples, he most likely wondered what difference such a small amount of food would make in feeding the crowd. It’s even possible the boy assumed his food would be returned to him because the need was so great, but his food was far smaller. But when the food was given to the Lord of heaven and earth, he turned it into a buffet that was more than enough to fill the bellies of the hungry crowd. Jesus takes that which is insufficient and uses it to accomplish his purpose. God took an elderly, childless couple— Abraham and Sarah, and made a great nation. He used a small group of people in a house to start a global movement— Christianity. Whatever is given in faith, God can take it and multiply its impact in incomprehensible ways for his vision. 

Third lesson: Sacrifice is needed for multiplication to occur. No matter how you look at this story, the boy really made a great sacrifice. Whether the food was his meal or he was selling them, the fact is that he did make a great sacrifice. Just like the widow who gave two coins in the temple treasury, this unnamed boy gave all that was in his possession. If he was hawking the food items, he would be in trouble when he gets home. If they were his meal for the day, he had starved himself. His decision to give up the food was likely a painful one. But that’s how sacrifice works. Sacrifice is not comfortable; it ushers in discomfort. But sacrificial giving is what we find littered in the Bible. God looked favorably on Abel’s offering because he sacrificed the best. God blessed Abraham because he was willing to sacrifice his son. To the widow in the temple who offered all that she had (two coins), Jesus praised for giving everything she had. So, for our giving to meet Biblical standard, it has to be sacrificial and uncomfortable. The amazing St. Theresa of Calcutta said, “This is the meaning of true love, to give until it hurts.” God uses the sacrifice we make to shape our heart and advance his Kingdom. 

Fourth lesson: When God is involved, miracles happen. Consider how this great event started. It all started from nothing, then to something insufficient, and to abundance. As I already said, the need was greater than the means available. Responding to Jesus’s question of where they can get enough food to feed the multitude, Philip rightly stated that “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.” But when the incarnate Son of God got involved, everyone ate as much as they wanted (John 6:11). Jesus did not just meet the need, he lavished them with so much food that there were leftovers. What’s people’s reaction upon witnessing what has taken place? They exclaimed, “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” Is Jesus a prophet? Yes, but more than a prophet. He is God in human flesh and in the midst of his people. 

Fifth Lesson: learn to trust God at all times. Why would you release your possessions? Trust! Giving and holding possessions loosely requires trust that God will use the resources for his purposes; trust that God will care for your needs; trust that all you are giving— time, talent, treasure etc. is not in vain; trust that God knows about the sacrifices you are making in our parish and trust that your heavenly Father who sees all that is done in secret and public will reward you.

God bless you!