“So Jesus asked them, ‘how much bread have you got? Go and see.’” (Mk 6:38)

“So Jesus asked them, ‘how much bread have you got? Go and see.’” (Mk 6:38)  

Today’s Passages: Mk 6:34-44; 1Jn 4:7-10

Meditation: I do feel that today’s meditation verse is quite timely and much loaded with New Year message. Because we are just one week past from the New Year celebrations and resolutions; may be still counting on the loss of the previous year, may be still lingering on what could have been done on such and such occasions, or thinking that I will do this year such and such things if I get, and so on. All these imaginations and evaluations are good, but Jesus calls you and me today to the black and white realities of life. It is just like a call to get down from the glory of mount Tabor to the valley of people’s needs and aspirations.

Jesus must be tired on that day just after a continuous preaching and healing. However, he felt great sympathy for the people who were with him listening to his words throughout the day. He knew that they were from faraway places and were hungry and tired now. So he cannot leave them to their villages without giving anything feeding. He asked his disciples to give them something to eat, but their answer was not positive. Perhaps this was because they might have thought that money they had and the number of the people before them was in different poles.

However, Jesus asked them, “How much bread have you got? Go and see.’” (Mk 6:38) Jesus wants to ask the same question upon all our counting, calculation, projects etc. Sometimes, we too are very happy and interested to make projects counting the resources outside our pockets and savings. Jesus warns us today saying, “[you] tie on to people’s backs loads that are heavy and hard to carry, yet [you] aren’t willing even to lift a finger to help them carry those loads.” (Mt 23:4) The old saying is worth remembering now: “Charity begins at home.”

In the second reading we find how God the father put before us his example: “God showed his love for us by sending his only Son into the world, so that we might have life through him.” (1Jn 4:9) He spared his only begotten Son Jesus for the salvation of mankind. In the beginning of this New Year, let us learn to count first on us, our talents, our time, and our wealth before counting others and their gifts. I do hear once again the whispering of Jesus, “How much bread have you got? Go and see.” 

       

Prayer: Lord God, we thank you and praise you for your daily eternal bread and especially for the New Year of 2015. We surrender ourselves before you, O Lord, help us to count on whatever you have been giving us graciously in our daily life and share those gifts with others gratefully. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen!

Greetings: God is with you! Have a blissful Tuesday!