Homily-Five Loaves and Two Fish

[EasterJoy]

I think the story is about Jesus miraculously providing food for the people. Nothing more nothing less, mo great mystery, no real teaching moment, a miraculous event performed by Christ, one of many performed by Him.

Not by us.

Well, apparently not a real teaching moment, at any rate.
Kind of makes any homily more or less superfluous.

 

[palmas85]

Well, apparently not a real teaching moment, at any rate.
Kind of makes any homily more or less superfluous.

Just as the vast majority of them are anyway.

You can only speak so much on the dignity of man, the necesity of ethics and the need to rememeber always that God loves you no matter what you do so often before it all becomes kind of rote and mechanical don’t you think?

 

[tqualey]

Dear MusicMan

Thank you for the story of the starving boy.

He told a very nice story of a boy in a WWII concentration camp whose hunger became so overwhelming that it was all he could focus on; he even forgot about God. Point being that we have a responsibility to make sure others are physically fed so that they can come to the Eucharist and be spiritually nourished.

I think the challenge for us today is to be aware that there are more people experiencing hungar and homelessness today. Following Christ’s example of relieving hungar and suffering and ignorance is something that each of us can do in our own way. In our area (Houston, TX) many churches have food banks and take up specific collections for the support of shelters that provide for the homeless. Even some area grocery stores have bagged groceries that you can add to your cart and pay for and these bags are then collected and given to food banks. The issue is to be aware of the need and then pray to see how we can use our talents and resources to address this matter.

Concerning the original topic, from my reading of the 5-Loaves and 2-Fishes, the crowd was basically unprepared for feeding themselves. Everyone effectively coming up with their food to share with one another is not the story given in Matthew.

God Bless

 

[FCEGM]

Thank you all for your (name removed by moderator)ut…thanks Wanner for the link…excellent! My gut was correct, although, like many have said it’s not necessarily a bad thing to give a homily on feeding each other…IMO, should not be applied to this particular gospel. My first thought was that Fr. took all the emphasis from Jesus performing a miracle and put it squarely on the multitude that he had given the grace of sharing and feeding each other.(THAT was the miracle) Kept waiting for him to clarify, and he never did. We went right into the social ills of today,(global warming, wasting energy, racial descrimination etc) and how to be good stewards and Christians. Didn’t have the flavor of being “Christ centered”.

This did help to reaffirm my feelings, thank you all again.

I’m glad Wanner found the link for you - it’s a very good and helpful article. Everytime I attend Mass when this Gospel is proclaimed, I always begin to pray: “Blessed Mother, protect this priest from preaching heresy.” So far, so good.

 

[tqualey]

Hi, Palmas85,

You got me on that one … I would have thought that the moral would have been look for landmarks and don’t step in holes!

God Bless!

 

[EasterJoy]

Just as the vast majority of them are anyway.

You can only speak so much on the dignity of man, the necesity of ethics and the need to rememeber always that God loves you no matter what you do so often before it all becomes kind of rote and mechanical don’t you think?

I know what you mean, but unless you’re totally joking or haven’t been listening, you really need to get out and hear a different homilist, some time. Or go home and write down what he said and contrast it to what you do. Easily said, but in day-to-day life, even easier to ignore. They sting if we take them seriously, but reminders do not hurt us.

I know a homilist who asks people questions about the readings. He actually has to tell people before the readings that he is going to do this, so that they’ll have some idea what the readings said. I kid you not. You might argue about whether it is kosher for him to do that, but it illustrates this much: maybe that’s why there’s a homily!

Well, next Sunday, Jesus walks on water. Peter tries and sinks. (…and asks the all time silly question, “If you’re the Lord, ask me to come out and join you.”?!? If it was not the Lord, but was Andrew out playing a practical joke instead, I don’t think that question would have kept brother Simon dry! )
Let’s just hope that none of the homilies are on the importance of water safety.

 

[tqualey]

Hi, Ruthie,

I been reading along … and from what I gather, the priest may have simply mis-spoke (now, he could also have been mis-quoted, too… but, I won’t go there…!)

After reading your post:

He essentially said that Jesus did not perform a miracle, multiplying the loaves and fishes, but was just a good preacher. This is along the lines of those who say He didn’t really walk on water, but (insert explanation here).

This kind of thing eventually leads to explaining away the Resurrection, saying it didn’t really happen. Then the Host just becomes a cracker; the Precious Blood just fermented grape juice, and Our Lord just another preacher, albeit a good one.

No. Our homilists should not downplay Jesus’ miracles.

I can not but agree.

The question that comes up in my mind is just what is this guy doing at the altar if he does not believe in the miracles of Christ. The Consecration is probably the biggest daily miracle we Catholics personally experience.

While people do not always act in a logical and consistent manner. It would be quite a leap to think the priest is actually downplaying the miracles. Based on my experience, it is usually best to look for the horse rather then the zebra - to look for the most common explanaiton rather then most exotic. I have found this answers 90% of the material immediately… and…from time to time there really is a zebra! And, then, some things are never really answered in this life.

God Bless

 

[palmas85]

I know what you mean, but unless you’re totally joking or haven’t been listening, you really need to get out and hear a different homilist, some time. Or go home and write down what he said and contrast it to what you do. Easily said, but in day-to-day life, even easier to ignore. They sting if we take them seriously, but reminders do not hurt us.

I know a homilist who asks people questions about the readings. He actually has to tell people before the readings that he is going to do this, so that they’ll have some idea what the readings said. I kid you not. You might argue about whether it is kosher for him to do that, but it illustrates this much: maybe that’s why there’s a homily!

Well, next Sunday, Jesus walks on water. Peter tries and sinks. (…and asks the all time silly question, “If you’re the Lord, ask me to come out and join you.”?!? If it was not the Lord, but was Andrew out playing a practical joke instead, I don’t think that question would have kept brother Simon dry! )
Let’s just hope that none of the homilies are on the importance of water safety.

I would say lets hope you don’t get the revisionist version about the Apostles falling asleep and upon waking think they are in the middle of the sea when in fact they are within a few feet of the shore, They see Jesus walking towards them, Peter leaps out walks a few feet, . steps into a hole and starts to go under, Jesus pulls him up and they get into the boat,
**
and the message is**

ta da

keep your eyes on Jesus.

No miracle, just inattentiveness to Christ and where He is

This version often goes hand in hand with the miracle of sharing food story. .

 

[EasterJoy]

I would say lets hope you don’t get the revisionist version about the Apostles falling asleep and upon waking think they are in the middle of the sea when in fact they are within a few feet of the shore, They see Jesus walking towards them, Peter leaps out walks a few feet, . steps into a hole and starts to go under, Jesus pulls him up and they get into the boat,
**
and the message is**

ta da

keep your eyes on Jesus.

No miracle, just inattentiveness to Christ and where He is

This version often goes hand in hand with the miracle of sharing food story. .

I will be thankful I have never heard something so silly passed off as the Gospel.

 

[palmas85]

I will be thankful I have never heard something so silly passed off as the Gospel.

It is really no sillier than everyone suddenly remembering that they brought food and starting to share with their neighbors, The whole purpose of these theories was to remove anything even remotely miraculous from scripture and to de deify Christ. Then they could push their concept of what Christ really was. A good man, a moral man with unique views on the world and life, full of love and compassion for his fellow men and women…

To the developers of liberal Christianity, there was nothing miraculous in the Bible, everything could be explained logically, irregardless as to how tortured their reasoning had to be to accomplish it.

Their reasoning was that traditional Christianity had been so compromised by new knowledge and scientific developments that only radical surgery could save it. So they took everything that was miraculous and lopped it off, creating the social gospel.

Before you brush this off consider this. Liberal Christianity developed in the mid to late 1800’s in the Protestant communities and so infected protestantism that there was actually a backlash against it that created the entire fundamentalist movement within protestant circles thats exists today. . Even today, if you speak to many protestant pastors, you will find they don’t believe in the Trinity, the Virgin Birth, the Divinity of Christ, Heaven, Hell. miracles etc. The fundamentalists do, but the mainstream communities do not to a great degree,

Also consider that many of the ideas that I have mentioned started creeping into Catholicism, albeit at a much slower rate at about the same time. It was only later in Catholicism, in the period between the thirties and the seventies when these ideas started to take hold with increased cooperation and interaction between Catholic and Protestant theologians and seminary professors,.

 

[Teelynn]

I’m glad Wanner found the link for you - it’s a very good and helpful article. Everytime I attend Mass when this Gospel is proclaimed, I always begin to pray: “Blessed Mother, protect this priest from preaching heresy.” So far, so good.

Tomorrow is Matthew 14:22-33, Jesus walking on water…I will ask the Blessed Mother to inspire his words! And I WILL KEEP MY EARS OPEN.

 

[Teelynn]

It is really no sillier than everyone suddenly remembering that they brought food and starting to share with their neighbors, The whole purpose of these theories was to remove anything even remotely miraculous from scripture and to de deify Christ. Then they could push their concept of what Christ really was. A good man, a moral man with unique views on the world and life, full of love and compassion for his fellow men and women…

To the developers of liberal Christianity, there was nothing miraculous in the Bible, everything could be explained logically, irregardless as to how tortured their reasoning had to be to accomplish it.

Their reasoning was that traditional Christianity had been so compromised by new knowledge and scientific developments that only radical surgery could save it. So they took everything that was miraculous and lopped it off, creating the social gospel.

Before you brush this off consider this. Liberal Christianity developed in the mid to late 1800’s in the Protestant communities and so infected protestantism that there was actually a backlash against it that created the entire fundamentalist movement within protestant circles thats exists today. . Even today, if you speak to many protestant pastors, you will find they don’t believe in the Trinity, the Virgin Birth, the Divinity of Christ, Heaven, Hell. miracles etc. The fundamentalists do, but the mainstream communities do not to a great degree,

Also consider that many of the ideas that I have mentioned started creeping into Catholicism, albeit at a much slower rate at about the same time. It was only later in Catholicism, in the period between the thirties and the seventies when these ideas started to take hold with increased cooperation and interaction between Catholic and Protestant theologians and seminary professors,.

This is interesting. Did you happen to read “Good Bye Good Men”? A real eye opener for me in regard to the seminaries between these periods. (don’t mean to go too far off subject) I must reread it to get a better handle on it, but I don’t remember the Protestant influence being talked about, but as I said…have to reread it. I do know that liberalism was rampant in our seminaries between these periods. Thank you Lord, that our seminaries are being cleaned up considerably now.

 

[Kolbelover]

Our pastor gave a beautful homily on the the feeding of the multitude. He hit all the major points described herein (foreshadowing of the Eucharist, notable and emphasized), but he also spoke of Jesus as the “great multiplier”…

He said, "they did not have enough food, but He said, “bring it to me” and he provided for all in abundance…

Father went on to tell us that we need to do this with our lives…that what we have to offer is NOT enough, but that God makes use of our gifts (and shortcomings) and multiplies them, enabling us to be useful. He went on to liken it to his own priesthood saying that by himself he is wholly inadequate…but that Jesus says “come to me” and he is able to be a priest… He told us that we need to do the same with our own vocations: That we may be inadequate as mothers, fathers and spouses, but that Christ can multiply our gifts and enable us to serve His will for us…

it was beautiful!

 

[estesbob]

Tomorrow is Matthew 14:22-33, Jesus walking on water…I will ask the Blessed Mother to inspire his words! And I WILL KEEP MY EARS OPEN.

I am sure some Priest will point out that for all of his power Jesus never learned how to swim…

 

[Teelynn]

I am sure some Priest will point out that for all of his power Jesus never learned how to swim…

:banghead: I think we as a people of God are going through a wee bit of a chastisement. The Lord is giving us a “time out” for bad behavior.