A Message from Fr. Jay
Dear Friends,
Last weekend, in one of my Masses, as always, the children came up for a blessing after communion and I ask them a question. The question was based on my preaching, on being kind sheep and becoming a good shepherd. I asked them who the shepherd is in their own families. Everyone tried to give right answers like Mom, Dad, Grandparents, Jesus, God and so on. I continued the question, expecting a different answer from them and hoped they would say ‘I am the shepherd’ of my family. To my surprise, a 4 year old girl raised her hand and said, “I have a German Shepherd at home!” You never know what children might say or do when you interact with them.
In the gospel this weekend, we find a boy bringing up five barley loaves and two fish. That is the beginning of the miracle, all the adults were reflective or calculative about the food, the boy brings it without any hesitation. He was so influenced by Jesus’ teaching, that unlike the adults who were hesitant, he jumped into an action of faith by sharing what he had with others. This is the starting point of a miracle! Appreciating the boy’s action of faith, Jesus performed the real miracle of feeding a large crowd! Miracles start from home. The parents of that boy raised him to be kind, compassionate and good. We are also called to initiate miracles through the children of our family!
The world needs compassionate hearts, actions of faith, to initiate miracles. The second reading brings us the advice of St. Paul to Ephesians: “to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all the humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through bond of peace: one body and one spirit”.
This Sunday, July 28, World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly will be celebrated. It falls on the Sunday closest to the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, Grandparents of Jesus. Pope Francis first established World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly on Sunday, July 25, 2021. The theme chosen by Pope Francis for this year’s celebration is: “Do not cast me off in my old age” (Psalm 71:9) For more information, visit: www.catholicgrandparentsassociation.org
God Bless,
Fr. Jay Raju
Reading 1: 2 Kings 4:42-44
Reading 11: Ephesians 4:1-6
Gospel: John 6:1-15
