Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

In today’s Gospel we hear the familiar story of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes.  John tells us the story of a mighty God who can do anything. God cannot fail.  One who takes the impossible and makes it possible.  In today’s Gospel passage of the feeding of the five thousand and the multiplication of the loaves and fish, we see that God blesses us abundantly in ways that we can only imagine.

One of the things that stands out for me in this passage is that fact that the young boy was willing to share his food without reservation.  This boy was willing and helped to provide for many.  The disciples were anxious, but Jesus had the matter well in hand. As Jesus made the five barley loaves and two fish more than enough to feed more than five thousand people, Jesus promises to provide for our needs. When we give our all to God, God can transform what we think is too small into that which can satisfy our hunger and thirst.  Our worries, our weakness, and our humanness are all transformed by the mighty hand of God.  Let us never be afraid to share our seemingly simple gifts with others as our loving God will transform them into great things.