18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

MULTIPLICATION OF FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISH

THE MOSAIC

Christians of the early Byzantine period built monasteries, churches and shrines in Galilee and on the shores of the Sea of Galilee to commemorate the ministry of Jesus and the miracles ascribed to him. Tabgha – an Arabic corruption of the Greek name Heptapegon (Seven Springs) – is the traditional site of the Miracle of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes (Matt 14: 13-21). It is situated in a narrow, fertile valley on the northern shore of the lake, watered by several springs.

The Byzantine mosaic above was found in the ruins of the basilica, now restored.

(Jewish Virtual Library)

COMMENTARY

New American Bible

The taking, saying the blessing, breaking, and giving to the disciples correspond to the actions of Jesus over the bread at the Last Supper (Matthew 26:26). Since they were usual at any Jewish meal, that correspondence does not necessarily indicate a eucharistic reference here. Matthew's silence about Jesus' dividing the fish among the people (Mark 6:41) is perhaps more significant in that regard.

The fragments left over: as in Elisha's miracle, food was left over after all had been fed. The word fragments (Greek klasmata) is used, in the singular, of the broken bread of the Eucharist in Didache 9:3-4.

William Barclay

He says that you may explain the miracle in three ways:

First, it really was a miracle which meant the suspension of the laws of nature.

Second, it was a sacramental experience. The people received a morsel of food but through which they experienced spiritual strengthening.

Third, Jesus by sharing the bread he received inspired others to do the same, that is, to share the bread which they were keeping only for themselves.

DON BOSCO

Do miracles similar to this happen?

We read in the life of Don Bosco (St. John Bosco) several instances of him multiplying not only bread but chestnuts and even Eucharistic bread.

A boy at the Oratory had decided to leave the boarding school and return home. That morning at breakfast he noticed that the bread delivered was not enough for everyone. He saw Don Bosco take the basket and begin distributing bread. To his amazement there was bread enough for all. When his mother arrived to take him home, he changed his mind. He later became a Salesian.

SAYING GRACE

Jewish Sabbath

Hamotzi or blessing over the bread: Beginning with the father each person in turn repeats the blessing over the challah (bread): "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth."

Christian Grace before meals

"Bless us, O Lord, and these your gifts which we are about to receive from your bounty through Christ, our Lord. Amen."

The Gospel says that before the bread was distributed for the eating, Jesus first said the blessing. To me saying grace before eating is a recognition of God's providence. God is good to me. The food that I eat comes from his goodness and I thank him for that.

In the life of St. Dominic Savio (He was barely fifteen when he died. He was a teenage saint, almost fifteen when he died.) we read that when he was a young boy, a man came to eat with them. But the man did not say grace. He quietly left the table. When his parents asked him privately why he left, he said that he didn't want to eat in the company of a man who behaved like an animal. Animals do not say grace before meals.

Saying grace in public then becomes a public expression of our faith in the providence in God.

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

PARABLES OF THE HIDDEN TREASURE AND PRICELESS PEARL

BACKGROUND TO THE PARABLES

American Bible Commentary

These two parables have the same point. The person who finds a buried treasure and the merchant who finds a pearl of great price sell all that they have to acquire these finds; similarly, the one who understands the supreme value of the kingdom gives up whatever he must to obtain it. The joy with which this is done is made explicit in the first parable, but it may be presumed in the second also.

In the unsettled conditions of Palestine in Jesus' time, it was not unusual to guard valuables by burying them in the ground.

Gary DeLashmutt Commentary

The first man is probably a farm laborer who stumbles upon a treasure buried in his boss's field. In ancient times, people didn't have safe-deposit boxes. During war, they often buried their wealth on their property. If they died or were exiled, the treasure was lost. In this story, the farm laborer probably kept the information from the landowner and scraped together everything he had to buy the field so the treasure would be legally his (Jesus is not teaching business ethics here!).

The second man is a wholesale pearl dealer who probably pays a small fee to examine a huge pile of oysters. He finds among the pile the mother of all pearls, and then liquidates all his assets (including his other pearls) to buy the whole pile and get legal title to the mother of all pearls.

A DISCERNING HEART

The first reading is so chosen because it is related to the Gospel reading. For this Sunday the first reading is about the request of Solomon for a discerning heart. He says that he is young and in order to rule his people well, he needed to be able to discern what is good and what is bad. God was pleased with his request and declared that there will never be anyone in Israel to equal Solomon's wisdom.

How does this related to the Gospel?

A normal person can see how valuable a treasure or pearl. But not everyone will be able to see how valuable the Kingdom of Heaven is. In order to give importance to the things of God, one needs to have a discerning heart. One needs wisdom.

To see as God sees, one needs wisdom. To obtain that wisdom, one needs to pray for it.

APPLICATION

A man went to his doctor asking how he can live to a ripe old age.

The doctor asked him, "Do you smoke?" "No."

"Do you drink." "No."

"Do you romantic liaisons?" "No."

Exasperated, the doctor blurted, "Then why on earth do you want to live long?"

The doctor did not have the wisdom to see what it is that makes life worth living. He did not have the discerning heart of Solomon.

How about you?

Mary Magdalene July 22

Mary Magdalen was so called either from Magdala near Tiberias, on the west shore of Galilee, or possibly from a Talmudic expression meaning "curling women's hair," which the Talmud explains as of an adulteress.

In the New Testament she is mentioned among the women who accompanied Christ and ministered to Him (Luke 8:2-3), where it is also said that seven devils had been cast out of her (Mark 16:9). She is next named as standing at the foot of the cross (Mark 15:40; Matthew 27:56; John 19:25; Luke 23:49). She saw Christ laid in the tomb, and she was the first recorded witness of the Resurrection.

The Greek Fathers, as a whole, distinguish the three persons:

* the "sinner" of Luke 7:36-50;
* the sister of Martha and Lazarus, Luke 10:38-42 and John 11; and
* Mary Magdalen.

Subsequent history of St. Mary Magdalen

The Greek Church maintains that the saint retired to Ephesus with the Blessed Virgin and there died, that her relics were transferred to Constantinople in 886 and are there preserved. Gregory of Tours (De miraculis, I, xxx) supports the statement that she went to Ephesus. However, according to a French tradition, Mary, Lazarus, and some companions came to Marseilles and converted the whole of Provence. Magdalen is said to have retired to a hill, La Sainte-Baume, near by, where she gave herself up to a life of penance for thirty years. When the time of her death arrived she was carried by angels to Aix and into the oratory of St. Maximinus, where she received the viaticum; her body was then laid in an oratory constructed by St. Maximinus at Villa Lata, afterwards called St. Maximin.

(Catholic Encyclopedia)

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

THE PARABLE OF THE WEEDS AMONG THE WHEAT

The Weeds

The weeds referred to here is called the bearded darnel. It is said that in the early stages of growth the darnel and the wheat look alike. When they begin to produce grain that is when it is easy to distinguish one from the other. But by that time, their roots are so entwined that when you pull the darnel, you also pull out the wheat. Consequently, the farmers in Palestine allow both to grow and only at harvest time are they separated.

The Sower of the Weeds

It might seem far-fetched for anyone to go through the trouble of sowing weeds in the field of another. Yet it seems to occur because there is a Roman law punishing such a crime. In India a common threat is "I will sow bad seed in your field."

Evil in the World

There is evil in the world. We have to live with that.

But how did evil come into the world? The parable says that it is the enemy who is responsible for the evil in the world. And who is this enemy? The Book of Genesis says that it is Satan.

But how could God allow such a thing to happen? Again Genesis says that it is because the first human beings instead of listening to God, listened to Satan.

Agents of Satan

Though the Book of Genesis presents Satan as directly causing Adam and Eve to fall, the common sources of temptation are other people, places and things. And among the three, the most potent and the most common cause of sin is probably people.

Once Don Bosco had a dream. He saw the devils doing nothing but lie down outside the gates of his school. Don Bosco asked them what they were doing there. They were supposed to be inside the school tempting his boys to sin. But the devils responded by saying that they have agents inside doing the job for them.

It was because of this that Don Bosco never tired to telling his boys to flee from bad companions as they would flee from a poisonous snake.

For parents, it is important for you to know the company that your children keep. To do that let your children invite their friends to come to your house.

For adults, remember the saying: "Birds of the same feather flock together." It's a matter of choosing the kind of company that you keep.

Are You a BI?

BI means bad influence. The problem might not be that of keeping bad company. The problem might be that we are the bad company. How's that?

It is possible that because of the bad example that we give, we cause others to sin.

The Patience of God

Masamang damo, matagal mamatay.

Perhaps there some truth in that saying. For God wants all men to be saved and that is why he gives evil people all the chances to repent and return to him.

Like Bambi Harper I'm Sick and Tired of All This

If you did not read the Inquirer today, read this....

After Susan Roces screeched her way through a diatribe against the President (I heard about it while I was stuffing my mouth with chocolate cake in frustration during lunch), I wished someone would ask me to go on TV so I could tell the whole lot of them (meaning the entire government and sundry hangers on) to go away and leave us in peace.

You realize, of course, that the myth being offered is that if GMA resigns, everything will be all right. It's the usual one person to blame for everything (before that, it was the US of A and before that, Spain) and if you remove the splinter we'll have no more pain. (Am I mixing my metaphors? I wouldn't doubt it, but you get the general idea). Excuse me? Are we falling for that tired line again? Haven't we heard that siren song once too often?

Are all these people, who are insisting on the resignation of one individual, actually of the belief that if the President resigns, the entire government will suddenly undergo a change of heart, i.e., repent and develop creative thinking abilities, not to mention a conscience and moral values? You really think Jinggoy Estrada or Bong Revilla or Lito Lapid can solve the economic problems of this country?

We are being asked to believe that the solution lies in a change to a parliamentary system. Why? Wouldn't the same idiots be running for office again? Wouldn't they still be perpetuating dynasties and running to protect vested interests? Now if you told me that none of our incumbent elected officials would run, then perhaps there's a chance--a slim one, mind you--that things might be put right. But still we should remember that elections in this country are rigged and voters are bribed.

BAMBI HARPER, PDI

St. Benedict, July 11

Roman nobility. Twin brother of Saint Scholastica. Studied in Rome, but was dismayed by the lack of discipline and the lackadasical attitude of his fellow students. Fled to the mountains near Subiaco, living as a hermit in a cave for three years; reported to have been fed by a raven. His virtues caused an abbey to request him to lead them. Founded the monastery at Monte Cassino, where he wrote the Rule of his order. His discipline was such that an attempt was made on his life; some monks tried by poison him, but he blessed the cup and rendered it harmless. He returned to his cave, but continued to attract followers, and eventually established twelve monasteries. Had the ability to read consciences, prophesy, and forestall attacks of the devil. Destroyed pagan statues and altars, drove demons from groves sacred to pagans. At one point there were over 40,000 monasteries guided by the Benedictine Rule. A summation of the Rule: "Pray and work." (Catholic Encyclopedia)

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit,
a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.

What are parables?

The word parable (Hebrew mashal; Syrian mathla, Greek parabole) signifies in general a comparison, or a parallel, by which one thing is used to illustrate another. It is a likeness taken from the sphere of real, or sensible, or earthly incidents, in order to convey an ideal, or spiritual, or heavenly meaning.

Its Greek designation (from paraballein to throw beside or against) indicates a deliberate "making up" of a story in which some lesson is at once given and concealed.

the New Testament parables have each a definite meaning, to be ascertained from the explanation, where Christ deigns to give one, as in the sower; and when none such is forthcoming, from the occasion, introduction, and appended moral.

(Catholic Encyclopedia)

Background of the Parable

In our country the farmer prepares the field first and only then does he plant. But in Palestine it's the reverse. The farmer sows the seed and only then does he plow the field. For this reason it is indeed possible that in process of sowing some seed will fall on the footpath, others among the weeds. The Palestinian fields are said to hide stones. When the field is plowed, the stones are unearthed. Hence, the seed falling on stoney ground.

About the weeds that have thorns. When we visited the Dominus Flevit Church in the year of the Great Jubilee I saw a plant with long sharp thorns. They look like the 'aroma' tree here in the Philippines. Gosh, if that was the tree from which the crown of thorns was made, I couldn't imagine the pain suffered by Jesus.

Message of the Parable

The parable is illustrating the apparent failure of the ministry of Jesus. The Jews as a people did not receive Jesus and his message. Nevertheless, the few who did receive him and his message produced abundant fruit in their ministry among the gentiles.

St. Jerome

Born at Stridon, a town on the confines of Dalmatia and Pannonia, about the year 340-2; died at Bethlehem, 30 September, 420.

He translated the bible into the Latin vulgate, that is, the Latin which the common people spoke. In this way he opened the Word of God to ordinary people. He said: "Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ."

He left everything and retired to Bethlehem and lived a monastic life. Once Jesus appeared to him and said: "Jerome, surrender to me everything." He replied, "But Lord, I have surrendered everything to you." But Jesus insisted, "Jerome, surrender to me even your sins."

Resign? Impeach? People Power?

These are the thoughts that have come to me in face of the current political crisis.

Erap (as expected) said that Cory's call not to resort to people power was the height of political hypocrisy since she herself was catapulted to power through people power.

• Response: Resorting to people power again is one too many. It leads to political instability, which is bad for the economy. And who suffers most? The poor of the land. Cory was right.

If Gloria resigns, who will take over? Noli? Omigosh! Erap? Heaven forbid! Who? To me Gloria is the lesser of the two evils. But they respond: "Is it possible that among the 85 million Filipinos there is no one capable of being president?

• Response: Give me a name...if you can.

Did Gloria steal the elections? One bishop said that after the 2004 elections the CBCP had a meeting and they were asked if in their diocese the cheating was so bad that the will of the people was subverted. The answer was that this happened only in Cotabato and Basilan.

On July 8 the priests of the Archdiocese of Manila will come together with Archbishop Rosales in order to discuss the current political crises. Next week the CBCP will meet also on the same issue. I will wait so that I will be guided by these two meetings.