Miracle Comes From Self-surrender

Weekly Missionary Reflection
17th Ordinary Sunday, 28 July 2024
2Kgs. 4:42-44; Ps. 145:10-11,15-16,17-18; Ef. 4:1-6; John 6:1-15

One of Jesus’ miracles that attracts me is the multiplication of loaves. I am thinking if this miracle happened today, we would never be bothered overcoming the hunger of our surroundings. People just need to follow Jesus and they will be fed with free food. The people of Jesus’ time might have this same thought too. They didn’t come to seek Jesus but for His miracle.

Today’s Gospel reading invites us to reflect on the miracle of Jesus feeding thousands of people with just five barley loaves and two fish from a boy. They didn’t know what to do or realize they were with Jesus. The disciples should know Jesus better than the crowd of people. They should not worry after witnessing what Jesus could do. Yet they were still worried.

I can imagine such a situation where a boy with very little food would like to offer help. That boy didn’t know what to do with his little amount of food, yet he knew Jesus was there and believed that Jesus would always have a way out. For me, this is the beginning of the miracle made by Jesus. The miracle begins from a simple and true faith.

We have so many things to worry about in our lives. We lose direction and do not know what to do. Despite we claim ourselves as the followers of Jesus, we often forget who is walking with us. We forget that our limitation is not an obstacle for God to show us great things. Like the boy who offered five loaves and two fish, we do not know how to get through our adversities in this life. However are we brave to humbly surrender our properties to Jesus?

Dear brothers and sisters, let us have faith like the boy. May we not forget that Jesus is always with us. We pray that through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are brave to surrender our limitations to God and believe that miracles will happen to believers. God bless.

(Br. Kornelius Glossanto, SX – Xaverian Missionary) 

DAILY DEDICATED PRAYER

Lord, our Father, I present my today prayer, thought, word, work, joy and sorrow in the unity with Your Son, Jesus Christ, who always presents Himself in the Eucharist for the salvation of the world. May the Holy Spirit animating Jesus, also be my guidance and strength today so that I am ready to be the witness of Your love.

Together with Mary, Mother of Jesus and the Church, in particular I present my prayer for our Pope and apostle prayer of Indonesian Church of this month:

Universal Church Intent: For the pastoral care of the sick
We pray that the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick confer to those who receive it and their loved ones the power of the Lord and become ever more a visible sign of compassion and hope for all.

Indonesian Church Intent: For alternative education
We pray that the society will increasingly understand the uniqueness of each child so that they can be opened to any forms of alternative education that is most suitable to contribute the grow and development of children.

Amen.