Sunday Reflection, 17th Sunday - "5 Barley Loaves"

Five Barley Loaves

2 Kings 4:4244; Psalm 145:10-11,15-18; Ephesians 4:1-6; John 6:1-15

Elisha was brought barley loaves. The boy in the crowd had five barley loaves and two fish. In each reading five barley loaves, why are they so important?

Barley was a common grain used as fodder for horses, feed for cattle and bread for the poor. It grew during winter in poor soil. This grain represented overcoming the impossible. In the book of Judges, Gideon’s victory over the enemies of Israel is foretold in a dream. A barley loaf tumbles into the enemies’ camp at night and knocks down their tents. In the book of Second Kings, Elisha throws barley meal into a stew to overcome poison to feed the hungry. Barley was the sin offering required for jealousy and wrongdoing.

A man from Baal-shalishah came bringing barley loaves. He was from the Northern Kingdom, where the rulers, the priests, and the prophets had forgotten God. They built temples and named cities for the god Baal. They were not feeding those hungry for the true God.

He comes to the man of God, Elisha, with barley loaves. Some were still faithful to God. It was an offering from those who had not forgotten the true God. Even though the powerful in Israel had sinned and done wrong, many still worshiped the one true God.

The barley loaves represented something else. The loaves were a sacrifice for all the wrongdoings and forgotten promises of people of the covenant. A poor man brought 20 barley loaves for the forgotten promises and wrongdoings of the people. Twenty in the bible is a symbol for redemption. The man of God takes and multiplies this sacrifice for the many.

So many were following Jesus - the poor, the sinners, the sick, and the lost. Five thousand men but there were also women and children. A boy was there with five barley loaves and two fishes. It was all he had.

So many were following Jesus that it was asked what good was five barley loaves and two fishes. Jesus knew.

The temple officials had not fed them; forgotten what God had asked of them.  They had forgotten to bring God to the poor, to the sinners, to the sick, and to the world.  They were not feeding those hungry for God.

Again, these five loaves represented the Torah and the promise of God. They implied the original covenants between God and his people; but, now more. The two fish would make the meal complete. The two fish stood for the comparison between the old and the new.

These five barley loaves represented a sacrifice for forgiveness of their sins, broken promises and wrongdoing. Jesus himself would take away our sins.

In both readings the barley loaves were multiplied. They provided food for many. The man of God, Elisha, multiplied five loaves to feed a hundred. The Son of God, multiplied the five loaves to feed a multitude.

Everyone there knew the story of Elisha. The multitude saw the greatness in Jesus and wanted to make him King.

Jesus wanted to remain as humble as the barley loaf, food for the poor, the sick, the sinners, and the world. Jesus was to be a sacrifice for our sins. He is the final covenant and the fulfillment of God’s promises. He is the risen Christ whose body is the bread we share in the Eucharist. 

Lastly, in the Bible the number five is used as a symbol of God’s grace. These are two stories about God’s grace.

Most of us probably never thought about the five barley loaves. But, God can use the simplest of things to teach us so much. A simple grain used to nourish bodies, nourish spirits, and nourish faith. Two stories showing us it is the hand of the Lord the feeds us; feeding those hungry for God. Two stories about five barley loaves that show God’s grace through Jesus Christ is over all and through all and in all.

Sunday Reflection 16th Sunday - Voices

Voices - We’re not as Smart as Sheep

Jeremiah 23:1-6 Psalm 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6 Ephesians 2:13-18 Mark 6:30-34

(With influence by the voice of Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI  )

I’ve always heard how dumb sheep are from the voices of characters on television westerns when I was young.

From the voices of priests and the Bible, I heard a good shepherd knows his sheep.  He is there when his sheep need him or in danger or get lost. The sheep know this and they know the shepherd. They know his voice.  

Other voices in my life have told me that a shepherd can look out at all those white wooly sheep and tell them apart.

Before sheep farming became a big business, shepherds would come at night to a common enclosure for protection. The next morning going their separate ways, each shepherd would call to their sheep and the sheep would follow their shepherd’s voice.  And they couldn’t be fooled; others shepherds would try to imitate another shepherd’s voice to steel sheep, but the sheep would only come to the voice of their shepherd. In the mix of voices calling sheep, even the false voices calling to them, a sheep followed the voice of his protector, its good shepherd.

My inner voice tells me that we’re a lot like sheep; but, maybe we’re not as smart as sheep. We don’t always recognize the voice of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. We don’t recognize the voice of God.

We live surrounded by voices. Voices found on television, radio, internet, and news sources. Voices heard from spouses, children, friends, teachers, and employers. Voices come to us that are jealous, envious, petty, angry, and hateful. Voices invite us to greatness if we follow the trends, buy this or that. Voices call out hatred and anger disguise as good. Voices call out love and forgiveness; and, these may be disguised as well. Voices calling right and voices calling wrong. So many voices speaking the way of the world as vital and important, but always, the voice with ultimate truth is God’s.

In all these voices, which is God’s voice? How do we recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd? There’s no easy answer, so many times all these voices are disguised as the voice of truth.  The voice of God is always true and always good.

The prophet Jeramiah warns the people of Israel that the priests have called to the people with voices that are not of God. Voices disguised as truth have ultimately misled the sheep and scatter the flock; driven them away. Their voices were confusing and wrong. Through Jeramiah’s voice, God calls his sheep promising he will send a shepherd.

Jesus, whose heart was moved with pity seeing a people without a shepherd. Jesus is the good shepherd who teaches many things. His voice is comforting, protecting, and good. It calls for us to follow the shepherd. We hear His voice and it teaches us many things that can tear down dividing walls set up by the voices of all the others. 

So we go back to the question - how do we know God’s voice? How do we recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd?

Sometimes the best we can do is to trust in our gut feeling that comes from our morals, beliefs, and traditions. Remember that the voice of God is always good.

Remembering what Paul said that is was a voice of peace that reconciles us to God.  It is a voice that tears down dividing walls. The Gospel found in many things.   

Jesus taught many things like listening for the voice of God:

• The voice of God recognized in life, joy, health, and humor and at the same time recognized by the dying, suffering and the poor in spirit.
• God’s voice that calls us higher, sets us apart, and invites us to be holy and at the same time calls us to humility.
• God’s voice that is heard in our enjoyment and gratitude for life, as it asks us to deny ourselves.

These are ways in which we hear God’s voice.  

Jesus Christ the word of God, the Good Shepherd, the voice of peace that calls to the scattered sheep.

Hear his voice. Hear his words. Follow his voice and come to God.

Homily Reflection 15th Sunday - The Ordinary Person's Divine Commission

The Ordinary Person's Divine Commission

Amos 7:12-15 Psalm 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14  Ephesians 1:3-14 or 1:3-10 Mark 6:7-13

Some of the most beautiful and poetic words in the entire Bible are in today’s Psalm. “I will hear what God proclaims – for the Lord proclaims peace. Kindness and truth shall meet, justice and peace shall kiss.” These words are beautiful and appropriate because hearing God is a theme in today’s scriptures.

The first reading occurs after the splitting of the Kingdom of Israel. There were 2 kingdoms. The Southern Kingdom had 2 tribes, the city of Jerusalem, and the Temple. The Northern Kingdom, was the 10 other tribes. Powerful, wealthy and worldly, it had its own temple and Gods. Prophets and priests told the king everything he wanted to hear. (This could be a profitable career.)

Amos from the south goes north proclaiming prophesy of God. They didn’t like what Amos had to say and asked him to leave.

Already, in the Gospel of Mark we learned how Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath. The temple priests didn’t like what Jesus had to say. They asked him to leave and plotted against Jesus.

So, Jesus went and found the 12, his apostles.

Amos and the 12 are proof that God does extraordinary things with ordinary people.

Amos was a shepherd and tender of sycamore trees. He was a migrant worker. Alone, he contemplated God and was given a divine commission, prophesy repentance.

The 12 apostles were common folk. Seven were fisherman and one a tax collector. Two were zealots. One was probably not Hebrew. Another was greedy and betrayed Jesus. They were ordinary.

Jesus sent them 2x2. Take nothing except your staff, the sandals on your feet, and a single tunic. Jesus gave instructions, a divine commission: heal the sick, cast out demons, and preach repentance.

God was doing extraordinary things with ordinary people, giving them a divine commission.

Paul writes about our divine commission. God chose us before the foundation of the world. God destined us to be in accord with the ONE, to bring Christ to the world. We exist for the praise of His glory. We are to work for justice, peace, and to be channels of grace. We are to proclaim the Kingdom of God. 

Amos had nothing, the 12 took nothing; yet, they walked with God trusting in His divine grace. A grace found in prayer, contemplation, and their friendship and gratitude with God.

Our problem is the idea of taking nothing. Our stuff gets in the way of nothing. The freedom to walk with God doesn’t come from our stuff but through prayer and contemplation. Through prayer and comtemplation friendship and gratitude follow. We become friends with Jesus. We recognize the Holy Spirit in the whispers to our heart. We are grateful for God's grace in our life.

Until we get to this point, we tend to be complacent (an I don’t care attitude). The blind leads the blind in a world where our stuff gets in the way: the stuff where our morals are establish by pop culture; the stuff where leaders make decision without regard for justice and human dignity but, for their own glory; the stuff of ministers who don’t preach Christ but preach what the world what it wants to hear.  

God calls us from complacency to action.

I didn’t have a story as an example of my point until Friday when my wife took me to lunch.  Driving on an empty parking lot another car came across aisles and parking spaces straight for us, heading to the exit.

“Look!! That car is going to hit us.” And Janet hits the horn. She tells the driver of the other car to pay attention and lists all the things the driver did wrong. The driver of the other car never slowed and couldn’t benefit from Janet’s critique.

I said, “Don’t be so upset. You saw the car coming; you could’ve just moved out of the way.” But, Janet continued her analysis of the other driver’s lack of etiquette.  

I finally said, “Stop fussing, that driver can’t hear you.” Janet looked at me and said, “I’m not fussing at them, I fussing at you.” 

Did I say that I love my wife?

As Christians, we are challenged to move beyond our complacency. Janet moved to someone who would listen to her. Jesus said, "if they will not listen leave there."  Move from complacency by rooting yourself in Jesus Christ who sends each of us to preach repentance, proclaim the Kingdom of God, and continue his mission of salvation.   

God can do extraordinary things with ordinary people.

God works through us. Be open to the whisper of the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart. Bring Christ to the world and to proclaim the Kingdom of God where kindness and truth shall meet, justice and peace shall kiss.

Brothers and sisters, this is our divine commission.

Sunday Reflection: 14th Sunday OT - Sometimes We Need a Top on the Shoulder

Sometimes We Need a Tap on the Shoulder

Ezekiel 2:2-5; Psalm 123:1,2,3,4; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Mark 6:1-6

Years ago, I worked with a second generation millwright. His father had been a millwright at the same plant.  

A millwright keeps the plant running smooth. He knows the machines; when they need maintenance, adjustment, or just a swift kick. The smallest sound the machine makes talks to him.

Over the years, the number of plants and employees continued to grow. Engineers and professionals were hired to maximize production and profit. I was the safety manager.

One day, I found the managers and engineers walking a dangerous path on the conveyor that fed the wood press; and, it was on. If someone fell, they could be pulled into the machine and killed.

I said, “Stop!” 

They said, “No! This was adjusting the machine. If it didn’t run correctly, the company could lose millions of dollars a day. If I didn’t like it, leave."  

The millwright tapped my shoulder, “I can fix it.”  

I said, “The engineers can’t fix it, how can you?”  

He simply said, “My job is fixing these machines. My father fixed these machines and taught me how. His best advice was read the operator’s instruction manual. They’re too smart to do that. The instructions explain that to fix this problem requires only adjustments at the control panel.”

He continued, “They think they’re smart; but, they haven’t read the instructions.”

For safety, I brought this to management’s attention. The response, “He’s a millwright. What does he know?”  I convinced them to read the instruction manual. The millwright’s wisdom fixed the machine.

We can be too smart for the truth. God called His people “hard headed and rebellious.”

We say, “Where did He get this wisdom?”

Not me, I’ll never ask that!!  

How many completely follow the instructions: love all our neighbors; never lie, covet, steal; honor our parents; love God with all we are? Or, do we make up our own rules - confession, anyone?

This is life! In it, we walk a path that can be dangerous. Our country and the world are led by people who walk this same path. Forgetting the instruction manual, we make up the rules to allow us on chosen path.

We stray from Jesus’ words. We ignore the path and argue with the guidance given to us by the Church. We forget the authority given to Peter and the apostles; through these comes the authority given the Church.

To justify straying from Christ and His Church, we can find reasons and justify them. We say its freedom, equality, and justice; but, these are found in our human thoughts and weaknesses. We forget true freedom, equality, and justice that God teaches through Christ and the Church.

There are no new paths. The way the path is presented and how we perceive is what’s new. We get excited and forget the instruction manual.

Where did He get that wisdom? Is He not the carpenter, the son of Mary?  Yes and He is the Word of God, the instruction manual. We profess that we believe in him. We come to the Eucharist to be one with Him.  

“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” Many will walk out the door of His house and return to their life and walk a different path.

In this country, we are blessed with freedom to read the instruction manual. We need to read it; the experts need to read it. The instructions will help keep us safe.

It is in our weakness that we are strong.  Our everyday little things bring God to the world: our prayers, our words and actions, the sacraments. When we see things not exactly running right, maybe we need to be like the millwright. Tap someone on the shoulder and say “I’ve read the instructions, let me tell you about them.”