Gospel: January 7, 2025

January 7, 2025 (Tuesday)

Tuesday After Epiphany

Psalter: Week 2 / (White)

St. Raymond of Penyafort, priest

Ps 72:1-2, 3-4, 7-8

Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

See Also

Heavy rainfall over Visayas, Mindanao as ‘Querubin’ weakens

1st Reading: 1 John 4:7-10

Gospel: Mark 6:34-44

As Jesus went ashore, he saw a large crowd, and he had compassion on them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. It was now getting late, so his disciples came to him and said, “This is a lonely place and it is now late. You should send the people away, and let them go to the farms and villages around here, to buy themselves something to eat.” Jesus replied, “You, yourselves, give them something to eat.” They answered, “If we are to feed them, we need two hundred silver coins to go and buy enough bread.” But Jesus said, “You have some loaves; how many? Go and see.” The disciples found out and said, “There are five loaves and two fish.” Then he told them to have the people sit down, together in groups, on the green grass. This they did, in groups of hundreds and fifties. And Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish and, raising his eyes to heaven, he pronounced a blessing, broke the loaves, and handed them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them. They all ate and everyone had enough. The disciples gathered up what was left, and filled 12 baskets with broken pieces of bread and fish. Five thousand men had eaten there.

Reflection:

“Give them something to eat.”

“You, yourselves, give them something to eat.” Normally when we reflect upon the feeding of the 5,000, we naturally focus on the miraculous action of Christ, an action which expresses the generous, compassionate love of God. However, perhaps we could dwell for a moment on the role of the disciples in this miracle. The disciples are given tasks by Christ, and so they are involved in the accomplishment of the miracle. After blessing and breaking it into pieces, Jesus hands the bread and the fish to the disciples so that they might distribute the food. They receive from God, and they become instruments of his abundance. This is the same for us. We are nourished and cared for by God, but we are also given more than we need so that we can pass on that love and care to others. We are called to become instruments of Christ’s abundant love in our families, at work, at school, and in the lives of those around us, especially in the “lonely places” where love and compassion are lacking.