My take of Homily of 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time; St. Martha Feast day – Rev. Fr. Charles

The theme of the Homily is “What is your loaf”. In the 1st reading and the Gospel we hear of bread and its sharing as food to a multitude. It is a Prophet and Christ respectively feeding the multitude from a few loaves.

What has God given to us to give back to our generation and be a blessing to them? How are we using our talent, Christ is asking as in the time of need for our generation, so much want and need, what do you have, what talents do you have. It does not matter how small is, if we avail it to Him, He will do wonderful things. Our God is a God of possibilities. He does not need plenty to make His presence felt. His gift to us is not for only us but for the rest of world. So we should gather as a community in faith and love each other and others. He calls us to come to Him & He calls us be of service to others using the talents He has given us Himself.

Let’s draw closer to Him and He makes the impossibility possible. It is in our coming together that we feel God’s love and His mercy. There is the need to be bonded together by asking what is my loaf, my talent and what will it do in Christ’s hands when Thanks is given to God .

In the 1st reading there was doubt whether the 20 loaves will be able to feed the multitude. Same in the Gospel, even here it was just 5 loaves to feed 5000 men and not to count women and children. God gives us all talent, after the prayer of Thanksgiving is said, the loaves are given to the disciples to share. What talent do you have and how are you using it. Are you sharing it among His people?

Christ asks them to give it to the people and not to keep. What gift has God given you, are you able to use it to make others life better.

We live in a selfish world when we don’t want to give but take from others.

We talk about corruption we are told to mind our business. How long will we sit aloof. If we find ourselves in such situation we should move away. If you will use your talent to improve lives, don’t exploit others. What is your loaf, how are you using it to influence the lives of others?

FIRST READING

2 Kings 4:42–44

A man came from Baal-shalishah bringing to Elisha, the man of God, twenty barley loaves made from the firstfruits, and fresh grain in the ear. Elisha said, “Give it to the people to eat.” But his servant objected, “How can I set this before a hundred people?” Elisha insisted, “Give it to the people to eat. For thus says the LORD, ‘They shall eat and there shall be some left over.’” And when they had eaten, there was some left over, as the LORD had said.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Psalm 145:10–11, 15–16, 17–18 (see 16)

• The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD, and let your faithful ones bless you. Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might.

• The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

The eyes of all look hopefully to you, and you give them their food in due season; you open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. 

• The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

The LORD is just in all his ways and holy in all his works. The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth. 

• The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

SECOND READING

Ephesians 4:1–6

Brothers and sisters:

I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

ALLELUIA

Luke 7:16

• Alleluia, alleluia.

A great prophet has risen in our midst. God has visited his people. 

• Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL

John 6:1–15

Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. 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.” Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

Priest:

The Gospel of the Lord.

All:

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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