Daily Gospel Reflection
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August 5, 2024
When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist,
he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.
The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.
When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said,
“This is a deserted place and it is already late;
dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages
and buy food for themselves.”
He said to them, “There is no need for them to go away;
give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
“Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.”
Then he said, “Bring them here to me,”
and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples,
who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied,
and they picked up the fragments left over–
twelve wicker baskets full.
Those who ate were about five thousand men,
not counting women and children.
Today’s gospel is a story that almost every Catholic learns at a young age. The miracle of the loaves and the fishes reminds us of the abundance of God’s love and our ability to be fulfilled by that love if we are open to it. But less attention is placed on the root of God’s love in this instance—grief— and what it can mean for our own lives.
The first sentence of today’s gospel tells us why Jesus was there in the first place, mourning the death of John the Baptist, his earthly mentor, cousin, and friend. Given the importance of this relationship, it would be understandable for Jesus to need some alone time to process events, grieve, and plan the next steps for his ministry. But instead, he chose to open his heart to the needs of others, miraculously providing for them.
We are all faced with more grief in our lives than we care to admit, far beyond just death. Broken relationships, health crises, career setbacks, and the struggles of loved ones all tempt us to wallow in our own perceived misfortune. But the challenge of today’s gospel is to avoid selfish turns inward as we grieve—where there is no hope, no love, no God. Instead, Jesus demonstrates how we can use our grief as a platform to improve our circumstances and those of the people around us, at least in some small way. And if we do that, there are no wicker baskets that can hold all that we are capable of.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you are merciful, compassionate, and fully understand our human weakness. You know our fears, the things that hold us back from trusting you and from becoming fully ourselves. But you won’t let us use those things as an excuse. You always challenge us to grow, and with the challenge comes the grace to meet it. Thank you for caring so much about us. Amen.