God provides all that we need and then some. God provides us with an unquenchable hunger for Him that keeps us focused. He gives us the gift of faith. He showers love, mercy, forgiveness, and compassion upon us, so that we may go and share these gifts with others, thereby bringing us all closer to Him. He provides for some of what we need for ourselves and gives us extra that’s meant to be shared.
Oftentimes, God works through other people to meet our most basic physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. We each have different gifts, talents, and abilities, possess different types of wealth, but we’re each called to share all that we have been given.
Some of us may believe we haven’t got much that’s worth sharing. We fear we can’t make a significant enough contribution to others. We believe we don’t have enough money, resources, education, support, faith, and/or wisdom to share with others.
Sharing makes us vulnerable. It means giving not only what we have, but also who we are, and that can be frightening at times. Sharing our food and/or our money can be far easier than
being present with love and compassion when someone is suffering. Blessed Mother Teresa has said that there is a great spiritual poverty in the United States. Writing a check or providing a meal for someone, especially when we have plenty in the bank and/or in our cupboards, is only part of the sharing we’re called to do. Being an instrument open to sharing the Lord’s love, tenderness, kindness, hope, and generosity with those who have been deprived of such compassion is as essential as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and providing shelter for the homeless.
Christ shows what it truly means to share when He decides to minister to the thousands of people who seek Him out right after He’s found out that His cousin John the Baptist has been murdered. He could have chosen not to share His time, healing power, wisdom, love, or compassion. After all, He’d just received news of a very significant loss in His life. Ultimately people probably would have understood if he needed a day or two to mourn before getting back to the business of miracles.
Jesus shared compassion with the crowds who followed Him wanting the healing He provides. He didn’t turn them away in His time of mourning. Instead, He ministered to them in His pain, brokenness and their need.
The Apostles, who had by that time witnessed a number of miracles, suggested sending the multitudes on their way to get something to eat. They couldn’t see how five loaves and two fish could possibly provide a picnic for thousands.
Five loaves + two fish + God’s blessing= a feast for 5000 and “fragments left-over—twelve wicker baskets full.”
The same type of equation is still true today. We are each blessed with a number of material goods as well as emotional and spiritual talents. If each of us shares what we have, then everyone (including us) will have our needs satisfied.
Resources, gifts, and talents shared + God’s blessing= enough for everyone to have their fill and for an abundance to be left over
Lord, please help us open our hearts to share the gifts you have given us, so that all may be satisfied. Amen.
Note: This reflection was written in honor of the Cursillo Men's Weekend participants scheduled to be at the held Abbey this weekend. Unfortunately, it was cancelled due to not enough candidates. This reflection on their theme first appeared in the July 2011 Edition of the Rooster Review.
