Sunday Gospel Comment
Sunday Gospel Comment
Alberic Jacovone OSB
YEAR B
SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY - 27.7.03
2 Kg 4,42-44; Eph 4,1-6; Jn 6,1-15
A Miraculous Feed
Tabgha is a solitary area NW of Sea of Galilee, at the foot of,
Mt of Beatitudes along the ancient highway from Tiberias to Capernaum, with no
settlement there from New Testament times. Ancient Christian tradition has
pin-pointed Tabgha for three major Gospel events: Sermon of the Mount,
Multiplication of loaves and fishes, Breakfast by the lake-side. Soon, three
shrines were built there and have since remained places of pilgrimage. At Tabgha,
archeologists -right into the 1980ıs- have brought to light the remains of the
three Shrines. St Jerome
(AD 400) calls this area Owildernessı to highlight its remote and desert-like
surroundings. The Shrine of the
Multiplication commemorates the miracle of loaves and fishes. It was already a
place of pilgrimage in the late IV Century AD. Among the mosaics that have been
excavated, the one near the altar has special significance: it depicts a basket
with two complete breads and two halves, flanked by a fish on either side. The
story in Markıs Gospel The multiplication of loaves and fishes is one of the
best known miracles of Jesus. It is reported by all four Evangelists. Reporting
it, no one gives an accurate account of what exactly happened. Rather, each
gives his own insight as to the meaning of what Jesus meant, said and did. As it
is told, we are constantly sent backwards and forwards: to similar events in Old
Testament, and to insights for our own life situations. In Mark, we are reminded
of the people who rebelled against God in the desert (Deut 8,2+); of the prophet
Elisha, when his servant objected: how can I set this before 100 people?ı, and
yet all ate and had some left (2 King 4,42+). All four Gospels refer to what
Jesus did at Last Supper: He took the loaves and fishes, looked up to, blessed,
broke, gave them. The point for us is that even now, we are called to use our
resources, work with our Lord, and trust that we can nourish people in their
needs: body, heart, mind. In all four Gospels, both crowds and disciples fail to
understand, so we may take notice and learn. The story in Johnıs Gospel Writing
after the tragic destruction of the Jewish Temple in AD 70. John stresses that a
new world is coming. He, now invites people to accept the rejection by the
Synagogue, and move into the New Faith, where Jesus knew Moses, has created a
new relationship with God for all. In John 6, he sets the Who - Where - When -
Why details, then he reports the miraculous event. It occurred on the other side
of Sea of Galilee, near Tiberias and near a mountain (He hints at Mt Sinai). As
Passover approaches John introduces a New Passover, which God has launched, with
Christ's Presence among his new chosen people. Both disciples and crowd, follow
Jesus because they saw the signs that he did, and fail to believe who Jesus is,
what he is about and what he can do. Still, Jesus is in control: He asks (as
Moses did in Num 11,13: where am I to get to feed?), they respond in terms of
material food and the money it would take to buy it. They even suggest that a
boy there, has five loaves and two fish, but what is this for such an
immense crowd. Jesus knows: He commands all to lie down on green grass to link
with Ps 23,2: he makes me lie down in green pasturesıS after they have had
plenty to eat, Jesus commands to Gather (=a word for Synagogue) the fragments
that nothing may be lost. This word for gathering together at the Eucharist is
also Synagogue: the point here is that the fragments are to be collected and
kept for future use. And whereas Manna could not be kept for the next day, Jesus
eucharistic fragments are available to us forever.
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