Fed by Faith

     When Jesus fed the multitudes who had followed Him, some for many miles over many days,  He was showing the disciples how, when blessed, broken, and shared, what was a very small, finite amount of food was enough to feed thousands and still have twelve baskets-full left over.  Christ made a meager meal into a feast for many as a way of foreshadowing to the apostles how He would feed us forever with Divine Truth and His own Flesh and Blood. (Matthew 14:14-22)

     Jesus broke bread with others time and time again.  He showed humanity, vulnerability, and humility in His understanding of and sharing in our most basic physical needs.  Jesus grew hungry, thirsty, and tired, just as we all do. 
     When praying the Lord’s Prayer, we are really asking for the only food that lasts and has redemptive value in time and eternity: faith in the Everlasting Word and the Most Precious Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ.  “Give us, this day, our daily bread” is much more than a request that the Lord provide us with food to nourish our bodies. 
     Jesus knew that our spiritual needs and the deepest yearnings of our hearts could not then—nor can they now—be satisfied by any amount of food, drink, wealth, pleasure, power, honor, or praise.  He alone can give us what we long for most: unconditional love, mercy, forgiveness, joy, peace, gentleness, kindness, faith, and eternal life. 
     He showed the crowds then and illustrates to us now in a number of ways that He has and will continue to give us concrete reasons to believe, food for our souls that will sustain us when it feels like the cupboard is bare. 
     A phone call from a family member, a letter from a friend, a Scripture message sent via text, a hug, a smile, a kind word, a generous gesture, a small sacrifice…can all be evidence that God is with us, in, near, and around us, and that we have a number of sources that feed our faith each day. 

5 Suggestions of how to be Fed by Faith

1.      Attend daily Mass

      2.      Spend time in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
      3.      Pray the Rosary
      4.      Join a group reunion or prayer group

5.    Go to a Cursillo Ultreya or a Closing

Note to reader: This reflection, which was written in honor of the Men's Cursillo weekend taking place July 26-29, 2012, originally appeared in the June 2012 issue of the Rooster Review.  Please join me in praying for the participants of the weekend.