17th Sunday OT
Fr. Philip Neri Powell, OP
OLR, NOLA
We
need to hear this again – Paul writing to the church in Ephesus:
“I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of
the call you have received. . .” Notice what Paul doesn't say. He
doesn't say “live in a manner worthy of your pastors or your
bishops or your cardinals.” He doesn't say “live in a manner
worthy of your political leaders or your favorite movie star or
pop-singer.” He says, “. . .live in a manner worthy of the call
you
have received. . .” What is this call? The call you have received?
You – all of us – have received a call to holiness. To be set
apart for a sacred task. The chalice we use for Mass cannot be used
to serve beer at the parish fish fry. The altar cannot be used as a
table for breakfast. These vestments cannot be used as a child's
Halloween costume. The chalice, the altar, these vestments have been
made holy, set aside for a sacred purpose. And
so have you. You have
been set aside to accomplish the work of Christ in the world. To
multiply his love and mercy among those starving to be brought back
to God the Father. Therefore, “. . .live in a manner worthy of the
call you have received. . .” Feed the 5,000 right where you are.
The
5,000 gathered around Christ and his disciples are literally hungry.
Stomach-growling hungry. He takes “five barley loaves and two fish”
and feeds every man, woman, and child there. Make no mistake: this
isn't a story about Jesus shaming the crowd into sharing the lunches
they were keeping to themselves. This is a miracle. Christ's blessing
on the bread and fish – his setting aside of this food for the
crowd – gave the bread and fish a sacred purpose, a holy end. We
see the Eucharist in this meal. We see the multiplication of
disciples in this meal. We see that even the leftovers gathered up
and saved. How is this miracle accomplished? John tells us, “Jesus
took the loaves [and] gave thanks. . .” He gives thanks. Christ
acknowledges the source of the bread and fish. He acknowledges his
Father and offers Him gratitude for providing them all with food.
That seemingly small gesture, just that tiny prayer of thanksgiving
multiplied what little they had into all that they needed and more.
When all those people finished eating, what did they do? Did they go
home and forget about the miracle they had just witnessed? No! John
says, “When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, 'This
is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.'”
Jesus had to run for the hills b/c they wanted to make him a king.
Once
Jesus got away from them, I imagine most in the crowd went home and
told friends and neighbors about the miracle he performed. They bore
witness to the signs he showed them. They fed those hungry for news
about the coming of the Messiah. They performed their own signs and
wonders by sharing the Good News that the Christ had come into the
world. They found a way to live in a manner worthy of the call they
had received. They fed the 5,000 right where they were. Even if the
5,000 only added up to a dozen or two. So, how do we live in a manner
worthy of the call we have received? We don't do it staying quiet. Or
by making our faith a purely private matter. Or by pretending that we
are living worthily by occasionally showing up for Mass. We are all
called to holiness. To be set apart for a sacred purpose, and that
sacred purpose is to bear witness to the mercy of God to the world.
To be living, breathing icons of Christ to those starving for a
relationship with God the Father. When the 5,000 had eaten, Jesus
says, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be
wasted.” Leave nothing and no one behind when you bear witness.
They too have a call to live worthily.
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