❖ Below is Part #2 of Pope Francis’ Homily on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ 2019

 
Today, God’s Word helps us to appreciate more deeply two verbs that are simple, yet essential for daily life: to speak and to give.
 
[cont’d]   To Give: The second verb is to give.  ‘Speaking’ is thus followed by ‘giving’.  This was the case with Abraham who, after being blessed by Melchizedek, ‘gave him a tenth of everything’ (Gen 14:20). 


It was the case, too, with Jesus who after reciting the blessing, gave the loaves to be distributed among the crowd.  This tells us something very beautiful.  Bread is not only something to be consumed; it is a means of sharing.  Surprisingly, the account of the multiplication of the loaves does not mention the multiplication itself.  On the contrary, the words that stand out are: ‘break’, ‘give’ and ‘distribute’ (cf. Lk 9:16).  In effect, the emphasis is not on the multiplication but the act of sharing.  This is important.  Jesus does not perform a magic trick; he does not change five loaves into five thousand and then to announce: ‘There! Distribute them!  No.  Jesus first prays, then blesses the five loaves and begins to break them, trusting in the Father.  And those five loaves never run out.  This is no magic trick; it is an act of trust in God and his providence.

In the world, we are always trying to increase our profits, to raise our income.  But why?  Is it to give, or to have?  To share or to accumulate?  The ‘economy’ of the Gospel multiplies through sharing, nourishes through distributing.  It does not sate the greed of a few, but gives life to the world (cf. Jn 6:33).  The verb Jesus uses is not to have but to give.

He tells his disciples straight out: ‘You give them something to eat’ (Lk 9:13).  We can imagine the thoughts that went through their minds:  ‘We don’t have enough bread for ourselves, and now we are supposed to think about others?  Why do we have to give them something to eat, if they came to hear our Teacher?  If they didn’t bring their own food, let them go back home, it’s their problem; or else give us some money to buy food’.  This way of thinking is not wrong, but it isn’t the way Jesus thinks.  He will have none of it: ‘You give them something to eat’.  Whatever we have can bear fruit if we give it away – that is what Jesus wants to tell us – and it does not matter whether it is great or small. The Lord does great things with our littleness, as he did with the five loaves.  He does not work spectacular miracles or wave a magic wand; he works with simple things.  God’s omnipotence is lowly, made up of love alone.  And love can accomplish great things with little…