Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

What good are these for so many?

For this an additional articles, see Deacon Jeff Sutterman’s website, www.JoyoftheWord.org

1. Sixth Grade multiplication tables
   1. Around the room, answering quizzes
   2. Answer in error, had to stand up
   3. For each person standing, five minutes off RECESS!
   4. TALK ABOUT PRESSURE!!!
   5. Now I understand what she was teaching….
   6. Getting me ready for this moment, giving a Homily, before THIS preacher, Fr. Matt!!

1. This week we hear how Jesus, the Good Shepherd moved by pity for the crowd
   1. spent the entire day preaching and healing the sick, way into the evening

• Jesus asks where can we get enough food for them?
  1. Disciples answer—a sensible one—is there is no way! Best to dismiss the crowd and send them home right away.
  2. But the Good Shepherd doesn’t scatter, He gathers the flock.
  3. He tells the Twelve to have the people stay, and recline. Five thousand families and households!
  4. He asked them what do they have? Five Loaves and two fish
  5. BUT WHAT GOOD ARE THESE FOR SO MANY?

1. Now let’s pause here a second…..
   1. Jesus’ gathers, he does not scatter
   2. As His disciples, we must ask ourselves, “Do my actions and words gather, or am I a scatterer and divider?
   3. Second, Jesus, the very Word of God, knows Scripture inside and out
   4. When He hears the complaint, “five loaves and two fishes, what good are these for so many?”
   5. Jesus no doubt recalled our first reading from the Book of Kings, when Elisha multiplied the loaves, and immediately knew the Father’s will for Him at that moment
   6. As our Gospel says, “He Himself knew what he was going to do.”

1. If we are to align our hearts, wills, and lives with Christ, we must know our Scripture.
   1. Scripture is not so much so we may know what Jesus did, but what the Risen Christ is doing.
   2. Jesus knew His father’s will in part from Scripture
   3. We too are to know Christ’s will from Scripture
   4. Hearing the Word of God once a week is not enough! Starvation rations!
   5. Read prayerfully every day! Keep a Bible in easy reach… at your work, in you backpack, next to the TV remote
   6. Read, pray, and discuss in small groups – family, friends.
   7. For “We do not live by bread alone.”

1. The rest of the miracle is now familiar to us, and Jesus uses the moment to point to a greater reality, a deeper mystery, for His Church.
   1. Jesus takes the bread, gives thanks, brakes it, and gives it to the crowd.
   2. And they all ate until they were full! ..with leftovers!

• The miracle is familiar to us, for we are about to do the same.
  1. There are about 500 of us here
  2. In a moment presentation of gifts
  3. What do we have to offer?

• A few unleavened crackers in a bowl, not even enough to equal a Deacon Jeff-sized bowl of popcorn
  1. … and four cups of wine
  2. Certainly not enough for a meal of five hundred
  3. Little bits of God’s creation, which we offer to God, along with our thanks and praise.
  4. “Blessed are you Lord God of all creation, through your goodness we have received the bread, the wine we offer you, Blessed be God forever.”
  5. And we are invited to offer our very selves.
  6. We offer to God, but Does God need a few bits of bread? Four cups of wine? Certainly not.
  7. Does He need our lives? No, God is free to Love us unconditionally, and without need.

1. What God does not need He returns to us like the loaves and fishes of the Gospel, Elevated and multiplied.
   1. What we offer as tiny bits of God’s creation
   2. Comes back to us as His Son’s very body and blood
   3. The incarnation continues in us
   4. That we might be true food, and true drink, for a hungry world.

1. “For they all ate and had their fill”
   1. Why is it so important to record this detail?
   2. Because the food, the things of this world doesn’t fill us, it doesn’t satisfy us.
   3. Wealth, pleasure, honor, glory do not fill our hungry hearts
   4. (Olympics and sports example)—as soon as you win gold, “Can I do it again? Repeat? Three-peat?”
   5. Christ alone, the bread of abundant life, fills and satisfies us
   6. And we in turn become bread for a hungry world.

1. What does this look like in real life?
   1. As the world’s youth gathered in Paris, in Hagerstown another gathering of youth – iServe.
   2. 28 teens gathered at St. Ann’s Parish for an overnight retreat of prayer and service.

• Thursday night, our own Fr. Matt led them in Adoration and a Eucharistic Procession around St. Ann’s
  1. Symbolism clear: Our youth, drawing close to Christ present in the Eucharist, preparing to bring Christ to the Community.
  2. Friday morning we gathered to celebrate Mass in the morning, then, having offered bits of bread we received Christ,
  3. And Our youth became living bread for others in Hagerstown.

• 28 Teenagers—What good are so few for the needs of so many? In six hours our youth:
  1. Cleaned and prepared the REACH Cold Weather Shelter for the upcoming winter season
  2. Prepared and handed out 150 lunches and organized pantry shelves at It’s a Blessing to Be a Blessing food pantry.
  3. Constructed from lumber 30 beds at the Sleep In Heavenly Peace build site for children without beds. Builds included wood stain and all bedding.
  4. Prepared 130 hot meals with the Salvation Army, and 50 birthday boxes to make birthdays special for those in need.

• Just 28 teens, in about six hours
  1. Would you have guessed so few could do so much?

1. What if every Friday were like yesterday? What if 28 teens gave six hours of service to the Lord every Friday?
   1. 52 cold weather shelters
   2. 7,800 lunches
   3. 1,040 beds
   4. 6,760 hot meals
   5. 2,600 birthday boxes

• Why couldn’t every Friday look like this? What if all of us here gave 6 hours each week? (factor of 17)
  1. 884 cold weather shelters
  2. 132,600 lunches
  3. 17,680 beds
  4. 114,920 hot meals
  5. 44,200 birthday boxes

• Christ could do all this, if we just gave Him a little of we have…. 6 hours a week.
  1. Why shouldn’t we? Why couldn’t we?

• Recall that when Christ comes again to judge the living and the dead
  1. He will not ask to see our iCalendars, or our Google and Oultlook Calendars
  2. He will not be impressed that His disciples were so busy.“Wow, you’ve got something in every box!”
  3. He will simply ask, When did you my disciples
     1. Feed me, or give me drink
     2. Clothe me or give me shelter

• Visit me when I was sick or imprisoned

1. Assist the poor, or minister to the dead and their loved ones?

• What if we pledged today to offer the Lord little bits of creation for those in need every time we gather in His name? Here’s a challenge for ministry leaders, and for all of us:
  1. If altar servers brough a can of food?
  2. If the choir brought clothing to practice?
  3. If our ministries asked for donations at their meetings?
  4. If we gathered in small groups to read Scripture and brought food for someone in need?
  5. If at family gatherings we asked family members to bring an item for the poor?
  6. If with every purchase of a new tool we pledged to give an hour of volunteer service with the tool we purchased?
  7. If every time we preached we gave a can of food?
  8. The idea is simple: each time we gather in the Lord’s name give him thanks and praise with an offering, however little, for someone in need.

1. Imagine what our Lord could do if every time we gathered in His name, we offered Him what we have: our selves, our hearts, our labor, and a little bit of creation?

• We would participate in the Kingdom, others would have their fill, and the people would see the signs of so much from so little, and say, “Truly they are disciples of God’s Son, the Risen One who has come into our world.”