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God knows our needs and he cares. When God gives, he gives in abundance.

Memorial of St. Edmund Campion, S.J.

Isaiah 25:6-10a

Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

M atthew 15:29-37  And Jesus went on from there and passed along the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain, and sat down there. (30) And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the dumb, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, (31) so that the throng wondered, when they saw the dumb speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. (32) Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days, and have nothing to eat; and I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way." (33) And the disciples said to him, "Where are we to get bread enough in the desert to feed so great a crowd?" (34) And Jesus said to them, "How many loaves have you?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish." (35) And commanding the crowd to sit down on the ground, (36) he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. (37) And they all ate and were satisfied; and they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over.

Meditation by Don Schwager

W hat can satisfy the deepest hunger and longing of the human heart? Isaiah prophesied that God would provide a heavenly banquet for all peoples and would destroy death once and for all (Isaiah 2:6-8).  Jesus came to fulfill that promise. Jesus' miracles are both a sign of God’s kingdom and a demonstration of God’s power. They also show the magnitude of God’s mercy.

When the disciples were confronted by Jesus with the task of feeding four thousand people many miles away from any source of food, they exclaimed: Where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them? The Israelites were confronted with the same dilemma when they fled Egypt and found themselves in a barren wilderness. Like the miraculous provision of manna in the wilderness, Jesus, himself provides bread in abundance for the hungry crowd who came out into the desert to seek him. The gospel records that all were satisfied and they took up what was leftover.

In the multiplication of the loaves and fishes we see a sign and a symbol of what God always does. God knows our needs and he cares. When God gives, he gives in abundance. The gospel account records that the leftovers from the miraculous meal was more than seven times the amount they began with. Seven is a symbol of completion and wholeness.

When God gives, he gives until we are satisfied. When God works for his people he gives abundantly – more than we could deserve and more than we need. He nourishes us with his life-giving word and with the bread of heaven. In the kingdom of heaven God will feast us at his banquet table. Are you satisfied with God's provision for you? And do you long with expectant hope for the coming of his kingdom in all its fullness?

Lord, you alone can satisfy the longing and hunger in our hearts. May I thirst for your kingdom and find joy in your presence. Give me the true bread of heaven and nourish me with your life-giving word."

Supplementary Reading

Prolong Your Life

Do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity - Proverbs 3:1–2

So many people today are looking for ways to prolong their lives and renew their youth, but God already has a fail-proof system outlined in His Word. It says in Isaiah that when you put your hope in Him, He will renew your youth. Today’s verse tells us that when you keep His Word close to your heart, it will prolong your life.

Notice it doesn’t say that you will just have a long, drawn out, ordinary life. No, God promises that He will prolong your life and fill your days with peace and prosperity. He wants you to live fulfilled and happy all the days of your life. That’s why it’s so important to keep His Word first place in your life. We can’t allow distractions to steal our focus or get us off course. Today, choose to keep His commands in your heart and enjoy His peace and prosperity all the days of your life.

Father God, thank You for giving me a long, satisfied life. I choose to honor You and keep Your Word first place. Show me Your ways so that I may walk with You all the days of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. — Joel & Victoria Osteen

GOD BLESS US ALL!

O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi!
PRAY as if everything depended on HIM. ACT as if everything depended on YOU. – Bobot Apit

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