17th Sunday of Ordinary time

John 6:1-15 “ they were going to come and carry him off to make him king,”

Would any of you give your child cake, ice cream and pop every day for every meal? I am pretty sure you would say, “Of course not. That would be crazy. As nice as it is it will hurt them in the near future, maybe with tummy aches and in the long run with bad health”

Now, if your children asked that everyday for pop, ice cream and cake, would you give it to them? Again I imagine you would respond in the same way. Cake, ice cream and pop isn’t terribly bad in moderation. It is when one abuses their body by overindulging that problems start to occur.

It might so happen that we lose ourselves in the pursuit of cake, ice cream and sugary drinks, metaphorically speaking, the things of this world. The things of this world are not bad in themselves, they were created for us to use to glorify God, but when we abuse them, use them solely for our pleasure, they can cause a spiritual tummy ache in the near future and bad spiritual health in the long run. And even if we are praying for such things our Heavenly Father may not give them to us knowing they will only harm us, and for this reason some people say God doesn’t answer prayers because God doesn’t give us things which we want. If we ask for and truly desire good things God will give them to us. Some things God wants us truly to seek them before He gives them to us. It might have happened to you where you want something but when you get it you hardly use it and so the good things which God wants to give us He wants us truly to want and desire.

Mt 7:11; If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

The people who were present for this miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fish had to follow Jesus some distance to be there. First, they were with Jesus on the other side of the Sea of Galilee and after He left the people followed Him across the sea and up on a mountain in a remote area. This miracle took place for those who had faith and acted on that faith following Christ even into the deserted areas. Jesus could have easily performed this miracle in the Temple in Jerusalem or in a synagogue where people doubted Him. Jesus could have also done this miracle in Nazareth, His hometown, in the presence of His extended family and friends who shocked Jesus from their unbelief. Jesus didn’t do this incredible miracle in places where faith was lacking. Instead, He went to a remote area where only those who truly wanted to be with Him were present. Faith is very important, first in looking to God but most of all following Christ.