Miracle of Bread

Today’s Gospel Text:  And he said, "Bring them here to me." 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

22 Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.  Matt 14:18-22

Reflection:  “Bring them here to me.”

Surely, he could have asked  his disciples or asked the boy to straight away to distribute them, the five loaves and two fishes, so that a miracle would take place at their hands, through his intervention.

Hence the above instruction was no ordinary instruction given by Jesus, the loaves and the fishes had to be brought to Jesus so that he could bless them; He then broke the bread and gave it to his disciples to be given to the crowd.

He knows what is to be given to the crowds and what is to be communicated through this miracle for all generations to come.

What is more important in this miracle; is it the bread that was multiplied or the bread that was blessed? Was it not the bread that was blessed more important than the miracle the blessings brought about?

What if there was no multiplication of the bread and if Jesus would have said; look here all of you at this bread and experience the miracle of your stomach being filled with the bread? He could have done even that.

So that we may know the value of the blessings that Jesus said over the bread, that Jesus first instructs that the bread and fish be brought to him and then says the blessings and has the bread distributed to the crowd.

Therefore a miracle is only a pointer to a greater truth, meant for those who do not believe, and for those who believe it is an invitation to enter into a deeper mystery.  Thus at times miracles are required not out of necessity but out of a want which flows from our inability to easily believe in the great miracle which God can work sanctifying us and leading us to eternal life.

Every Eucharistic miracle doesn’t necessarily result in us being able to see with visible eyes the great miracle of the presence of body and blood, soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But the previous miracles and the many miracles we experience in our lives through faith in Jesus should be pointers for us to believe in the Eucharistic presence.

Adoring this presence and receiving him with reverence then leads us into a different kind of miracle which sanctifies us through and through, so as to make us stand before the Lord of all ages on that day of Salvation.

Prayer: Lord, help me believe in your holy presence at every Eucharistic banquet I partake of.

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