The Greatest Miracle. Reflections No 552, 10 September 2011
Submitted by FatherSean on Wed, 09/14/2011 - 08:44.
Fr Shay Cullen's columns are published in The Manila Times, in publications in Ireland, the UK, Hong Kong, and online.
A 2009 video by Trócaire, the overseas develpment agency of the Catholic Church in Ireland.
Perhaps the most inspiring Gospel story for all of us who are trying to be true, practicing Christians is the one where Jesus of Nazareth instructs his disciples to feed the hungry. As the story is told, we see Him in the remote countryside teaching the people. His revolutionary message of peace, love, generosity and self sacrifice is shocking to some and inspiring to others.
He told them that life could be different, that change is possible, that we have free choice to shape our own destiny and find and unite with the power of “eternal love and goodness” .We can work and succeed in the spiritual and social transformation of society.
He taught them and us that all of us are made in the image and likeness of “Eternal Goodness” and that goodness can be found in each other. All people, he said, have a right to a life of equality, of rights and dignity.
In that tree-sheltered grassy olive grove, thousands had gathered; men and women, rich and poor, upper, middle, and lower class, the sick, the blind, the disabled. There too were the outcasts, the untouchables who stood to the side, ashamed and afraid to come close to the crowd lest they be scorned as unwanted, abused, and diseased people. To these downtrodden people without a possession in the world, reduced to begging for a daily subsistence, Jesus of Nazareth came, and for them, he risked himself with words of welcome and inclusion that shook them to their core.
”Hey! You people over there behind the tree, come here, don’t be ashamed, there is nothing to be ashamed of. All that is said about you is not true. Know that God cares for you and sent me to change things around and to tell you the truth. Blessed are you poor, the Kingdom of God is for you . . . happy are you who are so hungry now, you will be filled and all of you who are crying, you will be happy, and will laugh. Even when people hate you, reject you and insult you because I am standing with you, then dance with joy - a great reward will be yours.”
The huddled beggars and outcasts turned to each other in their filthy rags and dirt, there being no one else to turn to, and asked, “How could it be true when we are so poor and miserable without happiness and enduring the world’s hatred and rejection and he is telling us that we are blessed and that the Kingdom of God is for us. We know and can see it is for the rich and the privileged and the well-fed priests. We cannot believe this Jesus from Nazareth, we are truly nothing and will remain nothing, there will be no change for us.” But there was.
He waved and called to his disciples, "Bring them over here and the children also, don’t stop them, unless we are as innocent as them we can’t approach God.” Some of the rich ruling elites, those from the priestly hierarchy who had given themselves the position of privilege close to the teacher were shocked, disgusted and humiliated, they gathered up their robes and scuttled away from the approaching shuffling group of beggars and diseased people that took the front row beaming with pride. They had become number one.
“Teacher, we have to send all away now”, the disciples said. “Thousands of people are hungry and we have no food”, but Jesus calmly told them, “You feed them!” They were shocked. “How can we feed so many when we only have two fish and five loaves and that's our lunch and we¹re hungry also?”
“Never mind, give out what you have, that will be an example to others, they might share too.” And so they did, all that had selfishly hidden their lunch packs in their bags and robes saw what the disciples did and brought them out and shared with those that had none. There was enough food for all.
Sharing is what we need more of, especially for the starving children of Somalia.
Sharing is what we need
Indeed, sharing is what we need. This article reminded me of the teachings of our church- that even the rich still needs something and being poor doesn't mean one could not afford to give. All of us should care for our brothers and sisters. We should not be selfish because if we only think of our own selves everyday of our lives, then, we are not truly living and we are denying ourselves with the opportunity to experience joy and happiness. Let us all be compassionate and mindful of the welfare of others. God has given the world with plenty resources, but when people become greedy, when some would abuse power and claim everything as theirs, then, some sectors would suffer. In the video above, let us be challenged with the thought that the 'one' in the 'one out of six' will not experience hunger, if the five people in their group would extend a helping hand to him and offer him food. We should not wait for Christmas to come before we will remember that it feels heaven when we share and when we help and that we have responsibility to one another. What we do to the least, we do to God. We have so much to share- food, books, knowledge (knowledge not shared to others becomes useless), blood (donating blood saves lives), time (this could mean so much), talents, piece of advice, love (and make the world go round) and many more! May all of us remember that we cannot carry our possessions when we die. May all of us remember that we will not live by bread alone. :)
"For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and future."
-Jeremiah 29:11-
what does sharing really mean
Very good point, Richelle. And so happy to see you here! Imagine if we devide the entire Philippines to all 90 million population of the Philippines, I am pretty sure each family will at least half an hectar of land, from which we can toil and plant trees, vegies, rice, anything that we need to survive. I know this sounds very naive but my point is if we all know how to share, REALLY SHARE, then there will be more than enough for everybody.
who is willing to share?
My friend once told me "How can I share when I don't have anything to share?"
The problem is, who's willing to share? The fact that the percentage of those who need is more than those who has will to share?
"If I have been able to see further, it was only because I stood on the shoulders of giants"
- Sir Isaac Newton
goodness => generosity
“You don’t have to be rich in order to give, it is enough to be good. He who is good will always find something to give.”
~ St Pedro Poveda ~
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'Love is embracing all and loving especially the unlovables.'