WHAT DO YOU HAVE: ONLY A LITTLE?

          Today’s Gospel (January 8, 2014) gives us a practical lesson to live.  The Gospel reading from Mark 6:34-44 brings before our eyes a Herculean task, Impossible thinking, and a Possible solution.  Herculean task given by Jesus to the disciples: “You yourselves give them something to eat.” Impossible thinking by the disciples: “"If we are to give them food, we must go and buy two hundred silver coins' worth of bread."  And the Possible solution given by Jesus:  "You have some loaves: how many? Go and see." In other words WHAT DO YOU HAVE?

          This event: Jesus feeding five thousand people occurs in all the four Gospels. Matthew and Luke will say when Jesus asks the disciples to feed the crowd the disciples already say that we have only five loaves and two fish which is not enough for the crowd and Jesus asks them to bring and make the people to sit.  John records the event as when Jesus asks the disciples to feed the crowd Andrew brings the boy who had only five loaves and two fish and Jesus asks to bring it to him and make the people to sit.  Mark gives a slightly different and more practical version of it all.  When Jesus asks the disciples to feed, the disciples did not think about what they have, they did not even check it out whether they have something, instead, respond quickly telling him that they need 200 silver coins to buy the bread for all.  Here, Jesus tells them to check out WHAT DO THEY HAVE.

          In my reflection this speaks some practical solution for the impossible things in my life and in the world.  When some problem arises our immediate thinking is that it’s something impossible for us to do or to face.  We always forget that when God sends the problem, he sends his grace together with it to face the problem.  He never expects us to do something which is beyond our capacity or ability.  He expects us to start with WHAT WE HAVE. 

          OUR LITTLE STEPS WILL HELP US TO REACH HEAVEN.  St. Therese of Child Jesus said, I WILL SPEND MY HEAVEN ON EARTH DOING LITTLE THINGS.  Mother Teresa of Calcutta says, GOD DOES NOT ASK US TO DO GREATER THINGS, HE ASKS US TO DO LITTLE THINGS WITH GREATER LOVE. So, there is nothing impossible in our life or in the world. All we have to do is to check WHAT WE HAVE and to start with WHAT WE HAVE.