17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks.... (Jn 6:1-15)

The Jewish feast of Passover was near.

This is the feast in which the Jews also recalled the miracle of the manna in the desert, an abundance of bread for the people. Jesus was about to repeat this miracle.

“Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”

Where can you find a store that can sell you food for 5,000 men. Jesus was expecting Philip to say: "Lord, you can provide them bread." But his response showed that he did not yet have faith in Jesus.

“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish."

Some say that the miracle Jesus worked was not the multiplication of the bread but the miracle of arousing the generosity of the people. The generosity of the boy sharing his food touched the people and inspired them to share the food they brought. A beautiful insight. Nevertheless, John seems to want us to see this as a real miracle.

Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.

This reminds us of the Psalm of the Good Shepherd who brings his sheep to green pastures. Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them....

The words are used for the Eucharist. Hence, we realize that the miracle must be a sign pointing to the Eucharist.

“This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.”

The Jews believed that the Messiah would repeat the miracles of Moses, but on a larger scale. Jesus repeated the miracle of the manna in the desert and hence, he was recognized as the Messiah. But because their idea of the Messiah was a national liberator--which Jesus was not--he refused to be their king.

LESSON

The boy was generous enough to surrender his bread and fish to Jesus. Because of that, Jesus was able to work a miracle.

God uses people like that boy and like us to work "miracles" today. How? The Prayer of St. Francis shows us the way:

Make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two.
(Mk 6:7-13)

In those days mass media didn't exist. In order to communicate a new idea one had to become an itinerant preacher or teacher. To proclaim the kingdom of God to Israel, he had to use the same method. He sent his apostles to become itinerant preachers. But before sending them out he had to warn them about the real possibility of earthly concerns becoming obstacles to their mission.

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.

The apprenticeship period is over. What they saw and heard from Jesus, they will do the same. The apostles are now truly apostles, for the Greek word means sent.

He instructed them to take nothing for the journey.

The apostles are to rely on God to provide for their needs as they carry out the mission entrusted to them by Jesus.

Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave.

Otherwise, instead of putting in their time and effort to preaching, they might use it to look for better accomodation.

Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.

When Jews from abroad would return to the Promised Land, they would shake the dust from their sandals. They would not want the dust of a foreign country to mingle with the sacred earth of the Promised Land. By shaking the dust from their sandals, the apostles would be telling the unbelieving town that they are no longer part of the true Israel.

They anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Then as now oil is used in the celebration of the Anointing of the Sick.

PARENTING

Jesus teaches us a lesson about parenting. Before sending the apostles out into the world to preach, Jesus prepared them first, by word and example.

The desire of every parent is for their children to have a bright future. They want them to be safe and secure when they set out on their own in the world of adults. For that to happen, parents will have to prepare them by what they say and do, like Jesus .

Here are some of what you can say or do in raising your children:

1. Be generous with praise but thrifty with blame.
Praise leads to self-confidence which is necessary for a person to succeed. Too much blame leads to inferiority complex.

2. To give your children a good education is not enough. You've got to help them get the most out of that education. Asians are outpeforming Americans. The secret? Parents make sure there is study time at home. And parents are there to enforce the study time and to tutor them. Olders siblings also help the younger ones.

3. Parents set the rules at home. Children are made to suffer the consequences when they break the rules.

4. Parents create for their children a home where they feel they belong. How? By doing things together. It is not so important what is done. What is more important is that they do it together.

5. The best gift parents can give to their children is to become the best persons that they can possibly be. When that happens, parents become an source of inspiration and example for their children.

Dear parents, if you miss an appointment, you can ask for another. But if you miss the growing years of your children, there is no way to bring it back again. Be there for your children.

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

He was amazed at their lack of faith. (Mk 6:1-6)

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place.

Nazareth. Hence, Jesus of Nazareth (although a variation is Jesus the Nazorean).

When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue.

It was the habit of Jesus to teach in the synagogue on the Sabbath. He was, therefore, addressed as teacher or rabbi.

They said, “Where did this man get all this? " And they took offense at him.

An alternative translation would be: And they found him too much for them.

His countrymen could not accept that a mere carpenter could become a rabbi. Their prejudice blinded them to the possibility that he could be more than a carpenter. This reminded me of a parent who came to the office of the school director. His son had a case and the principal had decided on it already. The parent came to appeal. During the conversation the parent blurted out: "He was just a canteen helper." He was referring to the princpal who started out as a canteen helper but who by diligence and hardwork, rose through the ranks to become a principal. The prejudice and snobbishness of that parent.

So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

God can not give us what the goodness of his heart wants to bestow on us if we do not put our faith in him.

Jesus was amazed perhaps he was expecting his countrymen to find it easier to accept him as more than a carpenter. Or Jesus was comparing how his countrymen received him with the acceptance of people from other places. He found more faith in the other towns than in his own.

Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary?

A man is usually introduced as the son of his father. Jesus would have been known as the son of Joseph. Some commentators is of the opinion that Jesus was called son of Mary because at this time Joseph must already be dead.

And the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?”

This verse has often been cited to prove that Mary did not remain a virgin because Jesus had other brothers and sisters. First, we must note that in the Jewish culture, brother and sister was used not only of blood brothers and sisters but also of relatives. Second, that James, Joses, Judas and Simon and sisters were possibly the relatives of Jesus can be seen from this verse: "Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome (Mk 15:40). Mary the mother of James and Joses is not Mary the mother of Jesus.

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

"Daughter, your faith has saved you." (Mk 5:21-43)

God can not do anything for us unless we put our faith in him. We have to believe that God can and will take care of us.

I will relate two instances from Don Bosco.

Our mother house in Turin occupies a whole block. But it all started with the Pinardi shed. The owner had always said that he would never sell his house under 3,000 pounds. After much haggling, Mr. Pinardi agreed to sell it for 1,200 pounds. Cash. In one week’s time. If Don Bosco failed to come up with the money, he would owe Mr. Pinardi 4,000 pounds! Don Bosco did not have the money. Mama Margaret asked, “But where are you going to find the money? We have nothing but debts.” Don Bosco replied, “Come, mother, if you had money, would you not give me some?” “Of course.” “Well and good. Why should you think that the Lord, who is rich, will be less generous?” Believe it or not, three benefactors came and in less than a week Don Bosco was able to pay for the house.

When St. John Bosco was nine years old, Jesus revealed to him his mission in life. He was to become a priest who would devote himself for the good of young people. At that time it seemed an impossible dream. His stepbrother violently opposed his desire to study. And even if he were not opposed, they didn’t have the money. They were just too poor. But he believed that if that was what God wanted him to do, God would find a way. And God did provide. He became a priest and he founded the Salesian Society and the Salesian Sisters to continue his work for young people. At the end of his life, Don Bosco had this regret, “If only I had more faith, I could have done more.” And yet, Don Bosco’s achievement was already monumental.

Putting our faith in God does not mean that God will always grant what we ask for. It doesn’t always mean that health will be restored or that someone will be saved from death. It doesn’t always mean that our money problems will be solved. Putting our faith in God means that we believe that God loves us and that God is so powerful that in the end everything will turn out OK for us.