18^th Sunday, Year A: homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Trusting God’s Providence in Times of Scarcity and Sorrow.

Readings: Is 55:1-3; Rom 8:35,37-39; Mt 14:13-21

Dearest brothers and sisters, we have a God who never abandons us to the forces that seek to destroy us—forces that threaten our spiritual and physical well‑being. The readings of this Sunday are a powerful testimony to God’s benevolence. They remind us that, despite the sorrows and uncertainties around us, we still have a God who cares, who loves, and who continues to provide for His people.

In the second reading, Saint Paul speaks to Christians who were suffering persecution, hardship, and discouragement. Many were already losing hope because of the trials they faced. Paul reminds them—and us—that no situation, no matter how painful, can separate us from the love of God. He asks, “What will separate us from the love of Christ? Anguish, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or the sword?” And then he declares with conviction that nothing—neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor present nor future things—can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Dear friends, I may not know the details of your personal struggles. But I know that many people among us carry heavy burdens: family conflicts, loss of loved ones, hostility in workplaces, abuses, illness, economic hardship, or injustice. Whatever your situation may be, dear friends, Saint Paul assures you today: your suffering cannot separate you from God’s love. God still sees you, still loves you, still cares for you.

The Gospel gives us a vivid demonstration of this loving care. Jesus performed a miracle in the desert—a place without life, without resources, and without ‘hope’. There were only five loaves and two fish, yet this scarcity did not prevent Jesus from feeding the multitude. This miracle simply demonstrates that neither the lack of resources nor the remoteness of the place could stop God’s providence from reaching us. In the same way, dear friends, our difficult circumstances cannot stop God from acting in our life, from reaching us, and from saving us.

The Gospel begins by telling us that Jesus had just heard of the death of His cousin, John the Baptist. He withdrew to a lonely place in sorrow. Yet His grief did not prevent Him from caring for the spiritual and physical needs of others. This is the love Saint Paul spoke about in the second reading—a love stronger than sorrow, stronger than death. Such is the nature of God’s love for us. What then must we do?

The prophet Isaiah tells us how to respond to this love. He invites us to come to God, to listen to Him, and to find life. He says, “Why spend your money for what is not bread, your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and you shall eat well… Pay attention and come to me; listen so that you may have life.” Many of us are so distracted that we no longer listen to God. God speaks to humanity from His words in the Bible. If we truly desire to hear God’s word in the situations we face, we must open the Bible and read it. Every passage of Scripture contains something God has spoken about our lives and our circumstances. Many people are also so busy that they no longer find time for prayer, not even in moments of crisis. Yet prayer is what allows us to enter into communion with God, to open our hearts to Him, and to follow His guidance in every moment of life. Dear friends, Isaiah calls us back, saying, “Why waste your strength elsewhere? Come to God.”

Today the Church invites us to open our hearts and listen attentively to God’s direction. We must be attentive and obedient, just as the disciples were in the Gospel. Human logic says that five loaves and two fish cannot feed five thousand people. But the disciples did not doubt Jesus; they listened and obeyed, and a miracle happened. The lesson is this: nothing is impossible for God, even in your situation. Only listen and obey his voice.

Another important lesson is from Jesus’ prayer over the loaves and fish. Faced with insufficient resources, the typical reaction would be to complain or pray for multiplication. But Jesus did something different: He lifted His eyes to heaven and gives thanks for the little that was available. He did not complain; rather, He trusted, and God worked wonders. We must learn from this. Our prayer should not be limited to complaints. Let us make time to thank God for what we have, even when it seems small and insufficient. Gratitude opens the door to miracles.

May you have a blessed Sunday

Rev. Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 18^TH SUNDAY, YEAR A: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: FOLLOW JESUS, DON'T ALLOW HIM TO WITHDRAW

(Mathew14:13-21)

To understand the message in today's Gospel reading, it will be important to consider the background to the gospel pericope: The death of John the Baptist. The news came to Jesus Christ that he has just been beheaded. And Jesus withdrew.

Thinking about the reason behind Jesus' withdrawal brings us to the contemplation on the person of John the Baptist and in a special way who he is to Christ. John was the forerunner of Jesus Christ. In him people even saw a reflection of Christ Himself. Jesus was tempted to withdraw at hearing what became of John the Baptist in his mission which is not far from His own fate. He was tempted to go into hiding at seeing the ingratitude of the world He has come to save. He was saddened at the choice of evil over good. It was funny that Herodias whose marriage John was saving, whose head he was saving demanded through her daughter the head of John on a platter.

It was a serious discouragement that Herod who knew the truth could not pay heed to the prophetic voice but adhered strictly to the voice of a dancing prostitute.

It was a shock for Jesus that the head that spoke wisdom was handed over to a foolish girl. It was a great disappointment that the people began to celebrate evil while goodness languished in jail. Are there no such situations in and around us? They make Jesus to be withdrawn from us, they break the heart of Jesus, they make God contemplate if we actually desire to be saved.

 

FOLLOW THE COMPASSIONATE JESUS

It is good that some people looked up to Jesus as their one and only hope. Seeing the countenance of Jesus they ran on foot and never wanted to waste any time lest they miss the direction He was going, till they found him. Does it matter to you that you have made God turn his back on you? Do you even ask yourself if God is still happy with you? Does it disturb you that the world has incessantly broken the heart of Jesus? Do you care to do away with the things separating you from the love of God? Do you make any effort to appeal to his mercy and compassion?

Jesus looked and saw the great throng . He had compassion on them. He abandoned his plan to withdraw. He saw their helplessness, sickness and pains. He began to minister unto them. He healed them, taking care of them till evening. May God continue to take care of you till the appointed hour of your death. But for Him to do this, give God reasons to remain with you. Make Him know that you cannot survive without his mercy and compassion.

 

FOLLOW AND HAND OVER

 Jesus was followed also by his disciples. when the day was over they asked Jesus to send the crowd away from the lonely place where they were for them to go and find something to eat. what are the forces suggesting that you be taken away from Jesus? what type of emptiness is trying to distance you from Christ? are you frustrated to the point of allowing yourself to be dragged away from the presence of God in search of money, love, connection etc.?

Jesus will not allow you to go the way you came. With Him you cannot be lonely. He satisfies you with good things. he only wants you to stop complaining and hand over everything about you into His hands. Hand over your sorrows, hand over your pains, hand over your tears, hand over the little you have. In your hand it is one thing, in the hand of Jesus Christ it is another thing. Listen to what Jesus is saying in the midst of all those situations embarrassing you, "you need not go away". Learn to make the ugly situations of your life draw you closer to Jesus to see the beauty in the clay of your life. Open your ears and eyes to enter into conversation with Jesus. To hear him speak: "calm down", to behold him taking over your burdens.

 

FOLLOW TO THE END: YOU WILL COUNT THE BLESSINGS

Jesus commanded for a handover that necessitated a take-over which gave birth to baskets of leftover. You've got to watch and follow Jesus to the end. see how the attention moved away from the crowd and from the disciples as soon as everything was handed over to Jesus Christ. He takes the centre Stage. position Jesus at the centre of your life and you will just be counting your blessings naming them one by one. Even where others see no reason to praise God you will have a reason to praise the Lord. He ordered them to sit down as if to say "the battle is not yours ". He takes the little, five loaves and two fish and He looks up to heaven. Looking up to heaven means a lot. He takes away your eye from the ephemerals of the world to things that last, blessings from above, food of everlasting life, contentment and satisfaction with what you have. He inspires you on how to explore the possibilities of success around and how to find peace within and not to go elsewhere in search of it.

May the blessings of leftover rain down on you. May God bless you with a generous spirit. May all you have already handed over to Jesus (your children, your finances, your peace etc) be taken over by him and yield a harvest of abundant leftover.

Through today's breaking of the bread may God help us to follow him, eat and be satisfied and also adore him in the lonely Tabernacle where He withdraws waiting for our company.

May God bless His Word in our hearts through Christ our Lord Amen.

Happy Sunday (18th week of ordinary time, yr A)

Rev. Fr. Julian O Ekeh