In today’s readings, we see the theme of God feeding His people. In the first reading from 2 Kings 4, a man gives the prophet Elisha twenty barley loaves. Elisha tells him to give it to the people to eat, though there are a hundred people. The man objects, wondering how so few loaves can feed so many people. But Elisha tells him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and there shall be some left over.’ ” Sure enough, they did, and there was.
The Gospel reading today is the beginning of John 6. Most people know John 6 for the Bread of Life discourse. But at the beginning of John 6, before Jesus gives the Bread of Life discourse, He feeds five thousand men with five barley loaves and two fish. When everyone had finished eating, they collected twelve wicker baskets full of leftovers.
The Responsorial Psalm is from Psalm 145: The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs. You see, we may earn the paycheck to buy food that a farmer has grown and countless people have had a hand in getting to our grocery cart and dinner table. But without the generous hand of God, none of it would be. So the next time you sit down to eat, remember that the food in front of you did not just come from a store or a restaurant. Ultimately, it came from the hand of God.
Father, we thank you for always taking care of us; for feeding us daily. Help us to always remember that it is You who feeds us. Amen.
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