8th Sunday of Matthew
Scripture: Matthew 14:14-22
We all have dreams and plans for the future. As any Boy Scout would tell you, “Always be prepared.” Today, the disciples had a plan to feed the hungry crowds: send them into the villages. But Jesus shattered their plans by asking them to feed the people instead of sending them away.
When our plans don’t work out, we sometimes become restless and begin making excuses. If things aren’t going well at church, we say, “If only we had more people, more money, or a bigger church.” We’re like the disciples complaining about only having five loaves and two fish.
When we complain, we end up looking inward, focusing on our community, history, or desires instead of looking outward. As we do this, things only get worse. We’re kept from adapting and moving forward.
However, Christ redefines the situation. Instead of letting us become restless, he challenges us to trust that he can use what little we have. By giving thanks to God, Christ can bring forth food, even in the desert.
If Christ can feed five thousand people with just a few loaves, then God can take any dire situation we face and make it bear fruit.
By trusting Christ, everyone ate and was filled. Through faith and being thankful, we too are filled, and our once hopeless situations can become prosperous futures.
Now, having been filled, we can fulfill Christ’s command to the disciples to give others something to eat.