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Ann Tran

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Scripture Reading


The Gospel according to 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.

Reflection

Like the first reading, when the servant objected to Elisha about sharing twenty barley loaves for a hundred people, there were plenty left over (2 KGS 4:42-44). In today’s gospel, Jesus reaffirms that He can make the impossible possible by feeding five thousand people with merely five barley loaves and two fish!

We witness many signs as subtle as they may, everyday in our daily lives. From a fragile flower flourishing in rough terrains, unexplainable cure of cancer to hardened sinners becoming saints!

So, when we face impossible situations, do we practice our faith and look to God to ask Him for guidance to make it possible?

For every trial we face

Anxiety takes over

In trusting you, O Lord

Trials becomes a chapter

Having to witness your glory

Lord, keep us faithful.


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