Homily For The 18th Sunday In The Ordianry Time Year B, August 4, 2024.
“…you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled.” (John 6:26)
Sunday Readings
My Dearest Friends in Christ,
We have gathered again in God’s Presence to worship and adore Him because we have faith in Him. Today’s readings challenge us to ask ourselves some deeply personal questions about our motivation for following or searching for God. Do you seek God for signs and miracles or believe in Him because He is the Bread of Life?
It was obvious that the Jews failed to understand the spiritual import of the miracle of the feeding of the 5000 which we heard in last Sunday’s Gospel Reading. Those who were fed were not spiritually drawn to Christ but had their minds fixed on the bread; little wonder they came to Jesus again requesting a similar miracle to believe. Jesus in feeding the 5000 demonstrates that it is always good to attend to people’s immediate physical needs to open their hearts to the deeper needs of faith. In multiplying the loaves, Jesus intends to multiply the faith of His followers and deepen their belief in Him.
Is the demand for miracles and the quest for materialism, not the greatest danger facing the Church today? What appeals to many is no longer the beauty of God, but the miracle-working power of the pastor, or the generous charity distributions of the Church. The Church has the dual mission of taking care of the bodily and the spiritual needs of the people of God. In her charity, the Church demonstrates the compassion of Christ toward the bodily needs of the faithful. Beyond this, and more importantly, these charitable gestures are meant to draw the people of God to a deeper faith in God.
Materialism is an evil that beclouds the mind and fixates it to think only of physical needs. A materialistically minded person does not value whatever does not appeal to his or her senses. They seek gain in everything and are concerned about the here and now and not tomorrow. They will often say, “Please, let’s leave God out of this matter” when you try to convince them about the moral implications of their actions. True believers, on the other hand, see the Hand of God in everything that happens around them and reflect deeply in every situation, seeking to hear God speak to them in prayer before they act. They are concerned about their salvation in Christ and will do anything to please God. They go to Church to worship God and not to look for miracles from God.
So, where do you belong?
Unfortunately, the Jews in Jesus’ time were blind to faith. Their reason for searching for Jesus could be seen in their reply, “…Sir give us that bread always.” Many Christians today are no different from them. The many aberrations springing up daily in the Church, such as the religious syncretism and hypocrisy of modern Christians are offshoots of materialism. Do we go to Church to worship God or to seek clues? Ask yourself today, why am I here in the Church? It might sound ridiculous to hear people say that most young men come to Church to search for a wife, but that may be the truth. Many too, shop around for churches in search of miracles. The church with the greatest account of miracles becomes the favorite. If God should search our minds and cast them on a projected screen, we would be surprised that many are here today for a different motive other than to worship God. We reduce the Church to a commercial or social gathering when people of faith are not there to worship. On another note, It is very sad to see many pastors commercializing religious worship, extorting money from worshippers in God’s name. It is time to wake up from this slumber.
Our God from of Old has been generous, but we are taking God’s generosity for granted. We offend the Giver of our gifts for His generosity. In the first reading, God fed the murmuring and complaining Israelites with manna in the desert. This manna prefigures His Body which He will give for the salvation of the world. God blesses us with material gifts to draw us to deeper faith and knowledge of Himself. Are your blessings and gifts drawing you closer to God or distancing you from Him? God restricted the collection of manna in the first reading. ” …each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion; thus will I test them.” Do you know God tests you with His gifts to know if you will obey His commandments and be generous to others? The restrictions imposed by God for collecting the manna, remind us to trust that God will always provide what we need. Sometimes we have to be stripped of our usual sources of support to remember that our ultimate sustenance comes only from God and to acknowledge humbly our total dependence on Him. Sadly, what we experience today are people who gather not only their daily portion but generational portions leaving many hungry without hope of being fed tomorrow. This is the definition of greediness which is the evil effect of materialism. I have watched with utter amazement how people hide away food and items at parties or celebrations. Many take a huge amount away, often obtained deceitfully while others are starving. Many switch sides to get double portions, mindless of whether others have yet obtained a single portion of what is being shared. It is time we change our attitudes and reassert our faith in the Providence of God.
The Word of God admonishes us today: “Don’t work for the food which perishes, but for the food of eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” (v. 27a) Jesus challenges us to raise our eyes to see beyond the physical realm. Earlier He said of Himself, “My food is to do the Will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work.” (4:34) Now He challenges us to join Him on His spiritual journey. We first heard the words, “perish” and “eternal life” in 3:16, where Jesus spoke of God loving the world and giving the Son so “…that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” So let’s work for what endures. Don’t leave reality by pursuing shadows. These earthly treasures will someday perish.
In the second reading, St. Paul advises the Ephesians and us, to satisfy our spiritual hunger by turning away from our former evil ways and by leading renewed lives of love, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. Paul reminds us that our acceptance of Jesus as the real source of our life and the nourishment of our souls affects a total transformation in us. Having been nourished by the Bread from Heaven and the Word of God, we need to bear witness to Christ by living lives renewed by the Holy Spirit.
In the Gospel, my dearest children of God, the Bread of Life discourse draws our deeper attention to Jesus in the Eucharist Who gives Himself daily to us. Here Jesus makes the unique and bold claim, “I am the Bread of Life; whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.” Jesus is offering us Bread from Heaven, Bread that nourishes us for eternal life, the Bread available to people who have faith in Jesus Christ. Let us receive Jesus with reverence in the Eucharist and may our daily experience of receiving Him deepen our faith in Him and draw us closer to His Sacred Heart. The more we draw closer to God, the more He draws closer to us and satisfies our deepest longings. People are materialistic because they are empty, and, by acquiring, they think they can satisfy their needs. Our emptiness can only be filled by God Who is our most important need. Without God, we will continue to be hungry and thirsty.
May we seek God for the right reasons and with pure intentions. “Seek you first the kingdom of God and every other thing shall be added unto you.” (cf. Mat6:33) God never disappoints even when you think you are disappointed. He does everything for a purpose. May our experience of God draw us to a deeper faith in Him and fill us with His blessings.
God made man out of nothing, and as long as we are nothing, He can make something out of us–Luther
I keep you and your family always in my prayers. ©Clem C. Aladi (2024)
