17th Sunday – July 26 – The good news and bad news!
2 Kings 4:42-44; Ephesians 4:1-6; John 6:1-15
There is the story of a pastor who got up one Sunday and announced to his congregation: "I have good news and bad news. The good news is, we have enough money to pay for our new building program. The bad news is, it's still out there in your pockets."
Today we have the good news and bad news from the readings.
First the bad news --- In today’s First Reading, we heard that a man, perhaps a farmer, brought food from the first fruits to Elisha, the man of God. This generosity was in obedience to the word of God to His people through Moses. God’s people and trusting in the Lord, Elisha commanded that the food be given to the people. Hearing this, the servant questioned how a hundred persons could be fed with so little food. That is the attitude of the servant and he did not think of who Elisha is. God news is that both the man who brought the food, was generous and obedient and trusting the Lord. Keeping in mind the providential care of God, Elisha repeated his command, “Give it to the people and let them eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’” The servant obeyed and the people had enough to eat and there was plenty left over. Again we see the role of Prophet Elisha who shared the fruits with those in needs, and the servant who distributed the food to the one hundred persons who ate it, indicates the holy nature of God in the unity of the Spirit of the Lord. Through these actions, we perceive that the people knew and obeyed the will of God. Through these actions, we perceive spiritual love, God’s people taking care of one another as one people. We perceive the joy of giving and the joy of receiving, all for the benefit of the one people of God.
There is good news and bad news in the Gospel passage which describes first the bad news, attitude of the disciples “Two hundred days wages worth of food would not be enough”. The good news is that the source of the food is the little boy that gave up his food for Jesus to share it with the others. This incident reminds us of the miracle of the multiplication of food, where with five barley loaves and two fish Jesus fed five thousand persons and they had twelve baskets of leftovers. This may seem humanly impossible, but when God is pleased with His children, nothing is impossible for him. We also heard that the disciples obeyed Jesus. They asked the people to sit down and while they were seated, they were fed. These people are those who were united in the Spirit in obedience and ate as much as they wanted. This miracle serves as an introduction for a long discourse on Jesus as the Bread of Life. John begins by telling us that Jesus crossed over to the opposite shore of the Lake of Galilee and that he was followed by a large crowd. They had walked a long distance to see Jesus. John says it was because “they saw the signs that Jesus was doing for the sick”. This is likely an expression of the deep hunger and longing of people for healing and wholeness in their lives. At the same time, it could also be interpreted in a purely selfish and curious sense, the way people will flock in crowds after hearing about some “miraculous” event. John does not speak about his teaching ministry as the Synoptic Gospels do.
1. Humility – humble before the Lord and the people –Shred with God others.
2. Trust – God Can work miracles for nothing is impossible for God
3. 3. Obedience to what God tells us
