17th Week in Ordinary Time (B) : Sunday 28th July 2024

The prophet Elisha is given twenty barley loaves and fresh ears of grain by Baal-shalishah, which would only be enough for the prophet but certainly not for the hundred men gathered there. It is no wonder that Elisha’s servant was hesitant to follow his master’s command. So, Elisha points out that it is by the Lord’s command that the people be fed; “they will eat and have some left over.” The feeding of the people is a “sign” of God’s power working through Elisha, who is an instrument of God’s providence.

In the Gospel, we are led to the scene of Jesus taking the initiative when He “saw” the crowd approaching Him. He multiplies the bread and fish and feeds the people as He “takes”, “gives thanks” and “gives” the bread to them. This recalls the account of the Last Supper. Then, the gathering up of the fragments of food signify to the abundance of God’s providence which is not “lost”, and which Christians must share to the infirm and the needy.

Therefore, the multiplication of the bread and fish, and the feeding of the crowd is a ‘sign’ that it is Jesus who sustains humanity with His living word and deed in the Eucharistic bread. Unlike Elisha, who was a human instrument used by God, Jesus Himself is the Bread of life. Jesus is the nourishment that one must feed on to have eternal life.

Lord, You are the Bread of life, You have nourished me, help me to provide the need of others.