BROADCASTS.com

b'(2Kgs.4:42-44;\\xa0\\xa0 Ps.145:10-11,15-18;\\xa0\\xa0 Eph.4:1-6;\\xa0\\xa0 Jn.6:1-15)\\xa0 \\u201cThey shall eat and there shall be some left over.\\u201d O Lord, \\u201cthe eyes of all look hopefully to you, and you give them their food in due season; you open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.\\u201d\\xa0 You are He who is \\u201cjust in all His ways and holy in all His works,\\u201d and eating the food you offer, we become holy as well. Brothers and sisters, if we \\u201clive in a manner worthy of the call [we] have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of spirit through the bond of peace,\\u201d what shall not be ours?\\xa0 Will the cup upon our table not overflow?\\xa0 For then we shall be holy as He is holy.\\xa0 And what does it mean to be holy but to be perfect, to be complete?\\xa0 Did not those reclining on the grass eat as much bread \\u201cand also as much fish as they wanted\\u201d?\\xa0 Is it not true that they \\u201chad their fill\\u201d?\\xa0 And will those who come to the table of the Lord today, to partake of the sacrifice offered on His altar, be found wanting?\\xa0 No, certainly not.\\xa0 For as far as Jesus\\u2019 miracle of feeding the five thousand with five loaves surpasses Elisha\\u2019s feeding the hundred with twenty loaves, thus far and more does Jesus\\u2019 feeding our bodies and souls with His Bread and Wine surpass the miracle we hear of today in our gospel.\\xa0 For now billions eat.\\xa0 Now all who come are fed.\\xa0 Without limit souls are satisfied, and satisfied unto heaven. Two notes I would make regarding our readings today.\\xa0 The first is that when Jesus performed this miracle of feeding the five thousand, \\u201cthe Jewish feast of the Passover was near.\\u201d\\xa0 The Evangelist does not state this in vain: it is on the feast of the Passover Jesus shall offer Himself as the new Lamb of whose flesh all must partake \\u2013 it is this day He shall institute the Eucharist.\\xa0 And note, too, Elisha\\u2019s immediate words upon being offered the twenty barley loaves as a gift: \\u201cGive it to the people to eat.\\u201d\\xa0 What is given him he offers to all, and so prefigures our Lord\\u2019s generous sacrifice of Himself \\u2013 and so exemplifies the attitude we all must have to whatever the Lord provides.\\xa0 For then it is we show faith in our God\\u2019s providential hand; and it is then we participate in the abundant outpouring of His gifts upon all who await His blessing.\\xa0 \\u201cOne body and one Spirit\\u201d are we all, and to this oneness there is no limit. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "The Whole Whale" (first third) from The Whole Whale, eighth album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, it is by your hand we are fed \\u2013 let us look not upon the things of this earth. YHWH, in our hunger our eyes look hopefully to you, and you do not disappoint our longing; you feed us by the hand of your only Son \\u2013 upon His Body we feast.\\xa0 For He gives Himself to us that we might never hunger again, for to the abundance of this food there is no end.\\xa0 All who desire shall eat, and there shall be some left over. We need not fear that the food you provide shall run short and we be left alone in a desert place.\\xa0 No, to all who call upon you in truth you are very near, O LORD, very ready to answer our pleas. \\xa0How much closer could you be to us than in the flesh and blood of your only Son?\\xa0 What more could you give us to eat than His presence? We are one in you, O LORD, one in body and one in spirit through your Son; we are all your children, dear God and Father, and in the love of Jesus that oneness is fulfilled.\\xa0 And so we praise your surpassing glory.'