The Daily Word of God

 

Daily Word On 20th Dec 2023

Jesus said: ‘Pick up the pieces left over, so that nothing is wasted.’ 

   John 6:10–13 (NJB): Jesus said to them, ‘Make the people sit down.’ There was plenty of grass there, and as many as five thousand men sat down. 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were sitting there; he then did the same with the fish, distributing as much as they wanted. 12 When they had eaten enough he said to the disciples, ‘Pick up the pieces left over, so that nothing is wasted.’ 13 So they picked them up and filled twelve large baskets with scraps left over from the meal of five barley loaves. 

  Jesus performing the miracle of bread and fish for a big throng of people who had come to hear his gracious Word of God. When Jesus noticed the enormous gathering, he felt sorry for them because they might not have eaten since the morning, so he decided to feed everyone. Another thing Jesus mentioned here is the prophesy of feeding the impoverished and destitute! He instructed the apostles not to squander any of the remaining bread and fish, but to save it for the poor and needy. He multiplied the loaves to show the apostles his generosity and care for his lambs.  This is precisely what Jesus instructed the Apostles. 

  While we were on a pilgrimage to Holy Land, while we entered inside the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes, after reading the passage from John 6: 1-14, Fr. Eugene(One of longest served priest served in our Vicariate for more than 50 years-Gulf Region)gave a brief talk and said: ‘People are so greedy doing their own things for themselves. So, half of humanity is starving. If we had learnt the lesson, which happened to the little boy who said, I have five loaves and two fishes with me Jesus; this is for you. This would teach others to do the same and put together what they have. But it is a personal interpretation, yes its’ a beautiful interpretation. But Jesus changes our hearts and makes others believe. We have brothers and sisters around us who need our love and help. If we accept this way God will continue to multiply the loaves and the miracle will take place for us too. Because he multiplies loaves everyday but we are too greedy and we are not ready to share what we have.’ Inside the church that rock where Jesus performed this miracle is still kept as it is. This rock is called Mensa Christi – the Table of Christ

The Light and Darkness

 

PART XXXI

The light and Darkness(About Tongue Part II)

The Eucharist is our eternal nourishment to be in the presence of God!

   I recall doing some loose conversation with my colleagues during one lent season, and the evil persuaded me to eat something. The hour for evening mass was approaching, and the moment I ate the food, evil entered my spirit, blinding my inner sight to send me into the darkness, and I forgot to attend Holy Mass. We lose our heavenly blessing because of our neglect of Jesus and his kingdom. This is exactly what happened to Judas. Satan invaded Judas as he ate the Holy Communion without reverence from Jesus. ‘And when he had dipped the bread he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. At the instant, after Judas had taken the bread, Satan entered him.’ (Jon.13: 26-27) Always we should examine ourselves about our sins before approach our living God in the Eucharist. John 6:27 (NJB): Do not work for food that goes bad, but work for food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of man will give you, for on him the Father, God himself, has set his seal. Jesus is telling us to work for eternal nourishment rather than physical food. So, before approaching the Lord in the Eucharist, we should respect his presence there, and once we understand the worth of His Body, we will be ready to embrace him unreservedly.This will happen in our lives as well; if we receive Holy Communion without repentance and confession, Satan (the evil spirit) will enter our soul and cast us into darkness. That’s what St. Paul says: ‘Therefore anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily is answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone is to examine himself and only then eat of the bread or drink from the cup, because a person who eats and drinks without recognising the body is eating and drinking his own condemnation. That is why many of you are weak and ill and a good number have died.’(1Cor.  11: 27-30) 

   Psalm 52:2–3 (NJB): Your tongue is razor-sharp, you artist in perfidy. 3 You prefer evil to good, lying to uprightness. Psalm 64:2–4 (NJB): hide me from the league of the wicked, from the gang of evil-doers. 3 They sharpen their tongues like a sword, aim their arrows of poisonous abuse, 4 shoot at the innocent from cover, shoot suddenly, with nothing to fear. Do not curse or use harsh words on others, this is like killing others with the sharpened tongue. Our tongue can act like a sword to kill others. Let us have the tongue which the Psalmist has to praise our lord. Psalm 71:23–24 (NJB): My lips sing for joy as I play to you, because you have redeemed me, 24 and all day long my tongue muses on your saving justice. Shame and disgrace on those intent to harm me!