Breaking the Word

Tuesday after Epiphany – 04^th January 2022 — Gospel: Mark 6,34-44

Witness of Human Instruments

The miracle of the feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle that is found in all four Gospels: Mt 14,13-21; Mk 6,34-44; Lk 9,10-17; Jn 6,1-15. While details differ, what is common are the numbers: with five loaves and two fish, five thousand are fed and twelve baskets are gathered. In this situation, Jesus begins to teach those who came to him, but he asks his disciples to provide them with food. Does Jesus need the disciples’ help to provide for the physical needs of the crowd? Of course not. However, the disciples are shown in a bad light. Their response to Jesus’ demand, “you give them something to eat”, is sarcastic. They stress the impossibility of what Jesus charges them to do and they ridicule that charge. In another sense, Jesus chooses to work through human instruments. He responds by asking them to do what they are told. When they find out that there are only five loaves and two fish, they are ordered to ask the crowd to sit down in groups. In their own eyes, the disciples witness the miracle. From these five loaves and two fish, they have enough to feed more than five thousand people. Finally, the disciples gather what is left over which signify the abundance of the miracle. Indeed, Jesus’ action overrules the reluctance of the disciples, wherein, not only do people have enough, they have more than enough.

Christmas Weekday, Monday – 03^rd January 2022 — Gospel: Matthew 4,12-17.23-25

Dawn of a New Age

Isaiah prophesies about the arrival of the reign of God in the world of darkness and disintegration. In the gospel, Jesus expresses that Isaiah’s prophesy is being fulfilled in and through his ministry. He reveals himself as the Saviour sent by the Father for the salvation of the world. His name means “God saves”. The salvation that Jesus brings is universal; its only prerequisite is repentance. To deny Jesus is to forfeit salvation. Jesus calls all men and women to turn away from their sinful life and to prepare themselves for the kingdom of God. Through the healing and the casting out of the demons the dawning of the new age are manifested. So we need to repent of our sinful nature and embrace his kingdom through mercy, justice and faithfulness. His kingdom aims at transforming human relationships and grows to offer love, forgiveness and service to one another.

Double Nature of the Kingdom

The first public words that Jesus speaks in Matthew are found here. It is a call to repentance: “repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near”. The reason for this repentance is that the kingdom of heaven is here or has already arrived.  The kingdom means acknowledging and promoting God’s activity. Building the kingdom means working for liberation from the clutches of evil in all its forms. Therefore the Kingdom of heaven is a Jewish expression which does not mean a place ruled by God, but rather the action through which God shows himself as King. In fact, Jesus proclaimed the coming kingdom not only in words, but also in his actions. In Biblical thinking, God shows himself as king when he saves his oppressed people. The kingdom of heaven/God is thus a standard expression for the definitive salvation which the Jews hoped that God would one day give them. When Jesus announces that the kingdom of God is near he is saying that the definitive salvation expected from God has come. He also points out the double nature of the kingdom: words and deeds, and communion with one another and with God.