In today's first reading, St. John emphasizes that the initiative for love comes from God and not from us. God does not love us just because we love or obey him.
C.S. Lewis, once wrote a book called "The Four Loves". One of these is "agape", the form of love that John is talking about. "Agape" is: "a passionate desire for the well-being of the other". This is the love that God unconditionally extends to all his creatures without exception. It is the love that each of us must also extend to every one of our brothers and sisters again and again, without a single exception. It is an outreaching love; an unconditional love; it does not depend on mood, liking or disliking. It is based purely and simply on the need and on the good of the other.
The gospel tells the familiar story of the multiplication of loaves and fishes to feed the large crowd following him. He was moved with pity for them and then fed them. Jesus blessed the people and served them as he still does for us. Always because of our needs he has pity on us and helps us.
Of all the miracles Jesus did, this is the only one which is repeated in all four gospels. The miraculous feeding of such a great multitude pointed to God's provision of manna in the wilderness for the people of Israel under Moses' leadership. This food foreshadowed the true heavenly bread which Jesus would offer his followers.
The feeding of the five thousand shows the remarkable generosity of God and his great kindness towards us. In the multiplication of the loaves and fishes we see a sign and a symbol of what God always does. When God gives, he gives abundantly. He gives more than we need for ourselves that we may have something to share with others, especially those who lack what they need. We are called to pass on this love of God for us to everyone we meet.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment