Family meals can be a very special time. In many cultures, love is shared through meals. While the food may seem to be the centerpiece of the gathering, it really isn’t. The love that family members share is the reason for the gathering. As family members, we show our love by feeding one another.
This is also true in God’s family. We see it running through the readings today. In the first reading from Isaiah 55, God invites His people freely to the table. “All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat. Come, without paying and without cost…” Then in the Gospel reading from Matthew 14, we see the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand through the miracle of the loaves and fishes.
Everyone has to eat. Jesus made very clear the importance of feeding the hungry. And these were not just empty words. Jesus leads by example. He fed the multitudes that gathered to hear Him. But He doesn’t leave it there. He takes the ultimate step; feeding all of humanity for all time. Jesus gives us the food that will last for eternity. His Body and Blood. And every time we go to Mass, we can eat freely. Welcome to the family meal! Come and eat!
Father, thank you for satisfying our hunger. Thank you for showing us your love by feeding us always. Amen.
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