Let me share this inspirational story to you: in the forest, there is a boy who wishes to abandon his sick father because of an incurable disease his father has; the boy is already too tired to go on caring for him. They go to the forest to find the remedy for the father’s disease – if they could find one. He carries his father on his back until they reach the very middle of the forest, but the boy notices that his father cuts a bough every time they pass a tree. The boy asks his father why he does that, and the father replies, “I cut a bough every time we pass a tree, because I don’t want you to be astray when you go back home.” The Father knows what is best for His child.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus Christ performs a great miracle before the eyes of thousands of people. He is concerned not only for the spiritual needs of his followers but also for their physical needs. When Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish, he did not only feed the people’s physical hunger but also their need to be concerned for one another and to belong to a community.
Brothers and sisters, knowing God our Father is truly difficult yet challenging. As we carry the great name of Christ in our life, we must not only carry it but most importantly, we need to acknowledge God as our Father who provides for us in our needs. We need to meditate and pray in order for us to know whether the things we ask are a need or a want. We should never get disappointed, frustrated or get angry if He does not satisfy our wants. Instead, we must believe that whatever gifts He gives to us are beneficial in our lives. We really need to knock at His heart to guide us of the things we need and to ask of His mercy so that we can receive His gifts and His love worthily, and thus be able to share to others the gifts that we receive from Him.
“God our Father, help us to be worthy to receive your gifts and touch our hearts to be thankful to you. Amen.”
PANANAW 