What's in your Basket - Homily 17 Sunday OTB

Praise be Jesus Christ, forever and ever.

Jesus said we are to feed the hungry. Many will protest and say that there is no way I can feed the hungry. I have nothing.

Funny, that’s what Phillip and Andrew said: 

• “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food is not enough to feed them even a little.”  
• “What good is five barley loaves and two fish for so many?”

Jesus reminds them by his actions, “For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”  His example was simple, take what you have, pray over it and offer it to God, and go out to other's with faith.

People who don’t want to believe in Jesus and his miracles will say it’s impossible to feed the large crowd with five barley loaves and two fish because there were about 5000 men.

True, it would have been impossible to feed 5000 men without feeding women, children, and families that were with them. For God all things are possible.

Those who doubt argue surely in a multitude of people others brought food. They simply shared with those around them.

Friends, why is that not a miracle. It may not be as dramatic as feeding the multitude from a child’s sparse basket of bread and fish prepared by his mother; but, it is the miracle of love. The miracle is Christ in that meal.

Christians feed the hungry.

But, scripture tell us, many are not just hungry for food, physical subsistence. They are hungry for spiritual subsistence; hungry for Christ. They are hungry for someone to lead them to a better life.

For those who hunger, we are to share from our own baskets, even if they are sparse.

Live all the miracles that happened when Jesus fed the multitudes. People sharing from what they have with those around them. There is the truth of St. Paul’s words - We are called to the one hope; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

In that truth, we are unable not to share our faith with neighbors, co-workers, friends, and especially family. We share Christ in us. We lead others to Christ; to the truth of what is right and just.

Friends, take what you have, pray over it and offer it to God, and go out to others with faith.

Still people say, there is no way I can feed the hungry. I have nothing.

Yet, when you share from what you have to feed the hungry; even if you have less than a widow’s mite – you bring the riches and rewards of heaven. If you only have 5 barley loaves and 2 fishes – you bring the promise of the heavenly banquet.

If all you see in what you have to share is a broken and sinful self – to others you bring Christ in you..

We are called to feed the hungry - no matter how sparse our basket may be. Pray over it and offer it to God, and go out to others with faith.

From this sharing, there will be an overabundance of faith. “They shall eat and there shall be some left over.”

Through example, we feed the hungry from our baskets. We teach others our faith. We teach others to pray. We teach others to realize miracles, no matter how great or how small present in our lives.

Always lead to Christ. This is the real hunger of the world. .As Catholics lead the hungry to the most divine meal of the most Holy Eucharist, which is the truth of this gospel.  The miracle is the presence of Christ in that meal.

As a Church, a community, followers of Christ; we are called to feed the hungry. Live in a manner worthy of the call you have received.

Be good, be holy, and share your faith by the way you live your life and love one another. Pray about it and do it in faith.