Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (3)

Christ builds brick by brick on stone he already built

grace builds on nature

can ex nihilo but no longer scratch

tho involves growing pains breaking open

like fruit falling

no new holy land sail , spiritual colony already set

Gospel

from 5 loaves, 2 fishes, breaks open and feeds 5k resulting 12 full baskets collected by 12

builds on 5 to fulfill

not allowing a fragment to be left

obvious sign of Eucharist,

even that word is used in Greek here

but go further

nothing mentioned w/o purpose

repose green and Christ feeds them (psalm 23)

God

5 bread and 5k

as St. Augus says

5 senses 5 books of Law and 5k multitude of law

2 fish

the greatest commandment

yet breaks, not destroy, but opens them up as Alcuin tells us

brings them to 12 filled, perfect government

So does God build upon or open up what already made

nourishes on green pastures

our basic nature, 5 senses

the Old testament Pentatuch (the 5)

broken open to the gentiles

God built on ground built

General for us.

God came not to destroy human nature, but fulfill it

God did not come to abolish OT but fulfill

Grace builds on nature, fulfills promises of Old

tho look to nourish whats there, can’t uproot w God made

2 John 1:9 “Any one who is so progressive to not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God;.”

progress, but do like God, build on foundations once laid, dont destroy those foundations

Trust in human nature as made

that restore, not do away with it

Trust in doctrine of past as firm

never change but understand how apply

Specific

nature

our nature kept, fulfill natural law

fulfill means be human

hold natural virtues

ex:

justice, temperance, wisdom, courage

fulfill what even noble pagans could clearly see thru reason:

don’t cheat neighbor violating social nature

dont gluttony violating nutritive system

keep chaste fulling sexuality

seek truth always fulfilling mind

never cowar from evil

then supernatural virtues faith, hope, and charity find a firm foundation to grow in

w/o that ground to build on, don’t expect God to build much on

doctrine

as Christian keep on solid ground of teachings and promises Christ made

every principle of faith and morals taught by Church can never change

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.”

it can develop into nicer buildings and art

but can trust the principle as foundation of stone to build on

Christians don’t look for some new utopian truth, but an Ancient one

many have tried Christianity and found hard for them or misunderstood it,

but never tried and found it fails.

the Secret law of the universe has already been revealed

as left Adam to be gardener of eden, so we to tend to this garden

Conclusion

Christ built on ground he already built

the age of religious discovery is over

no new holy land to find

we have this spiritual land land with all resources needed to build

We have but only to develop what is already here as God Himself does.

Notes

Me

5k and 12 baskets barley

gathered them as result of feeding

no one can pay enough

Andre suggests taking the kids food

give thanks and pray (not like other miracles where just says)

no left over gather it (like Eucharist)

beginning source and summit of New Covenant

Commentators

Pitre

Johns additions

calls sign to Sacrament

echo OT (up to mountain on Passover)

think of Moses

psalm 23 (divine shepherd causes us to rests in green pastures and feed them)

2 words for thanks, chooses Eucharistaeon

heirarchy 12, now fills 12 (new Israel)

fill 12 from the 5 loaves

Augustine

5 loaves and 5k signify 5 senses or 5 books of law

2 fish, better, royal and priesthood (in Christ combined)

or 2 commandments

or circum and uncircum

by breaking multiplied

breaking opened Scriptures

Bede

barley food of slaves and beasts of burden (Old law)

2 fish wisdom and prophets

Alcuin

by not making new loaves shows brings Old Law to multiplication