Daily Gospel Reflection
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August 7, 2023
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 beautifully illustrates Jesus’ selflessness. Instead of grieving alone after his friend’s death, Jesus’ “heart was moved with pity.” We may wonder if healing the sick helped Jesus process his grief; perhaps, despite his sadness, he exemplified God’s love best by feeding thousands. At a time when we might expect someone to care for him, Jesus remained the caretaker.
When I read Matthew 14:13-21, my mind typically meditates on the gift of the most Holy Communion. Every time we receive communion, Jesus envelops our hearts in his limitless love. While the gospel reveals this paramount image, today, let’s consider how we can imitate Jesus, the Caretaker: the one who provides and has an abundance of fish and loaves left over.
In my first year of ACE, I taught a third-grader who embodied Jesus, the Caretaker. My student, Bella, unexpectedly lost her mom in September. She watched her mom battle cancer, gasp for air, and remain in the hospital before passing. When Bella returned, I had no idea how to support her.
During the following months when I assumed I would need to guard Bella, I found her tenacity encouraging me. Sometimes I would pause to give her a hug or talk, but she carried Christ’s strength. Bella kept showing up, carried on her mom’s legacy, supported her classmates, and imbued Jesus’ love everywhere she went.
My students completed a newspaper activity during the last few days of school. In the “Meet my Hero” section, Bella wrote Miss Hoepfl “because she allways helps evrybody” (we’re still working on spelling). I appreciate Bella’s sentiment, but in the end, she was Christ the Caretaker for me. She proved that even in the face of death, there is always enough life, love, and communion for others—plus a lot left over.
Prayer
Jesus, you open wide your hands and heart and fill us with living food. You give us the bread of the Eucharist, your Word, and the community of the Church. You give us the bread of nature’s beauty, of friendship, of people who care for us when we are in need of help. You give us the food on our table, the roof over our heads, the clothing we wear. All the necessities of life come from you, and the extras as well. Blessed be you, Lord, God of all creation. Amen.