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Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, broke the
loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to
the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied. They picked up the
fragments left over–seven baskets full. Matthew
15:36–37
This line concludes the second miracle of the multiplication of the
loaves and fishes as told by Matthew. In this miracle, seven loaves
and a few fish were multiplied to feed 4,000 men, not counting the
women and children. And once everyone ate and was satisfied, seven
full baskets remained.
It’s hard to underestimate the effect that this miracle had on
those who were actually there. Perhaps many did not even know where
the food came from. They just saw the baskets being passed, they
took their fill, and passed the rest on to others. Though there are
many important lessons we can take from this miracle, let’s
consider one of them.
Recall that the crowds had been with Jesus for three days without
food. They were amazed at Him as He taught and continually healed
the sick in their presence. They were so amazed, in fact, that they
showed no sign of leaving Him, despite the obvious hunger they must
have been experiencing. This is a wonderful image of what we must
seek to have in our interior life.
What is it that “amazes” you in life? What is it that you can do
hour after hour without losing your attention? For these first
disciples, it was the discovery of the very Person of Jesus that
had this effect upon them. How about you? Have you ever found that
the discovery of Jesus in prayer, or in the reading of Scripture,
or through the witness of another, was so compelling that you
became engrossed in His presence? Have you ever become so engrossed
in our Lord that you thought of little else?
In Heaven, our eternity will be spent in a perpetual adoration and
“amazement” of the glory of God. And we will never tire of being
with Him, in awe of Him. But too often on Earth, we lose sight of
the miraculous action of God in our lives and in the lives of those
around us. Too often, instead, we become engrossed in sin, the
effects of sin, hurt, scandal, division, hatred and those things
that lead to despair.
Reflect, today, upon these first disciples of Jesus. Ponder,
especially, their wonder and awe as they stayed with Him for three
days without food. This draw of our Lord must take hold of you and
overwhelm you so much that Jesus is the one and only central focus
of your life. And when He is, all else falls into place and our
Lord provides for your many other needs.
My divine Lord, I love You and desire to love You more. Fill me
with a wonder and awe for You. Help me to desire You above all
things and in all things. May my love of You become so intense that
I find myself trusting You always. Help me, dear Lord, to make You
the center of my entire life. Jesus, I trust in You.
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Featured image above: The Miracle of the Loaves and
Fishes By Jacopo Tintoretto, via Jacopo Tintoretto, via
Wikimedia Commons
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