“Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.” – Matthew 14:17

       Some people read the newspaper every morning or watch news on TV. They fill their minds with the latest exposes, the latest politician caught in graft, the latest violence in the world. During lunchtime, with officemates, they become expert political analysts. And every day, they arrive at the same conclusion: Our country is going to the dogs.

        After work, they go home and unwind in front of the TV set to watch more bad news. And we wonder why we’re miserable.

       May I suggest a new way of feeding our minds? Every morning, I read a few verses from the Bible. I hear God tell me that He loves me and has a wonderful plan for my life. I open myself to the ocean of blessings all around me that day.

       When I meet my friends, we don’t complain about how bad the country is. We build life-giving communities. We create inspirational media. We reach out to the broken, wounded and lost. Because complaining is a total waste of energy, time and saliva. I’m too busy making this country great by the little things that I do every day.

Reflection: Catch yourself — what have you been complaining about recently? Is there something you can do about it?

Dear Lord, empower me to do my share in building a better world for future generations.

St. Alphonsus Liguori, bishop, pray for us.

Today is the feast day of St. Alphonsus Liguori, founder of the Redemptorist Order. Jeremiah prophesies that God will break the yoke the King of Babylon has over the People of Israel. Alphonsus constantly preached the power of God’s love to break our habitual patterns. He encourages us to meditate on the cross every day because it is here that the love of God is most perfectly manifested to us.

Jeremiah 28:1-17

1 In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, the prophet Hananiah, son of Azzur, from Gibeon, said to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people: 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 Within two years I will restore to this place all the vessels of the temple of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, took away from this place to Babylon. 4 And I will bring back to this place Jeconiah, son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon,’ says the Lord, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’” 5 The prophet Jeremiah answered the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people assembled in the house of the Lord, 6 and said: Amen! thus may the Lord do! May he fulfill the things you have prophesied by bringing the vessels of the house of the Lord and all the exiles back from Babylon to this place! 7 But now, listen to what I am about to state in your hearing and the hearing of all the people. 8 From of old, the prophets who were before you and me prophesied war, woe, and pestilence against many lands and mighty kingdoms. 9 But the prophet who prophesies peace is recognized as truly sent by the Lord only when his prophetic prediction is fulfilled. 10 Thereupon the prophet Hananiah took the yoke from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, broke it, 11 and said in the presence of all the people: “Thus says the Lord: ‘Even so, within two years I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, from off the neck of all the nations.’ ” At that, the prophet Jeremiah went away. 12 Some time after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13 Go tell Hananiah this: Thus says the Lord: By breaking a wooden yoke, you forge an iron yoke! 14 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: A yoke of iron I will place on the necks of all these nations serving Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and they shall serve him; even the beasts of the field I give him. 15 To the prophet Hananiah the prophet Jeremiah said: Hear this, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, and you have raised false confidence in this people. 16 For this, says the Lord, I will dispatch you from the face of the earth; this very year you shall die, because you have preached rebellion against the Lord. 17 That same year, in the seventh month, Hananiah the prophet died.

Psalm 119: 29, 43, 79, 80, 95, 102

R: Lord, teach me your statutes.

29 Remove from me the way of falsehood, and favor me with your law. (R) 43 Take not the word of truth from my mouth, for in your ordinances is my hope. (R) 79 Let those turn to me who fear you and acknowledge your decrees. (R) 80 Let my heart be perfect in your statutes, that I be not put to shame. (R) 95 Sinners wait to destroy me, but I pay heed to your decrees. (R) 102 From your ordinances I turn not away, for you have instructed me. (R)

Jesus often reminds us of the need to take courage and entrust everything to Him. This is why it is so important for us to experience the love of God. St. Alphonsus of Liguori knows this is the greatest need of a human person — to know that they are loved unconditionally. Only God can love us perfectly.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

Matthew 14:13-21

13 When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. 14 When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. 15 When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 He said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” 17 But they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.” 18 Then he said, “Bring them here to me,” 19 and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over — twelve wicker baskets full. 21 Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.

think: Only God can love us perfectly.

Thank You Lord for: __________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 1 Maccabees 1-2  

FEAR NOT

We live in a time of great fear. Present situations tell us to be afraid. And we listen to the lies of fear. Many things make us afraid. We fear loneliness, rejection, sickness, poverty, violence, pain, getting old, and facing death. In fact, we have been conditioned to avoid the reality of death. But the truth is that someday, no matter how hard we try to avoid it, we will die.

       Most probably, Jesus also felt that fear when He heard about the death of John the Baptist. They shared the same mission. Possibly, it also occurred to Him that the same fate awaited Him. Was it the reason for His withdrawal to a deserted place?

       Jesus recognized fear but He did not give it power to control Him. In the desert, He prayed. He faced the reality of the mysteries of life, death and fear. Facing the reality led Him to a deeper union with God. His communion with God the Father consumed all His fears, even the fear of His own death. Jesus became more powerful than the sum of all our fears. Trust in God and compassionate love for all dismissed His fears and led Him to continue His ministry of compassion and love.

       Perfect love casts out all fears. Jesus lives with a passionate love for God and for all. In this passionate love, He finds the meaning of His life and His death.

       The call of the people who followed Him was heard amidst fear. It did not stop Him from continuing His mission of being in solidarity with the people. He heard their cry. He felt their need. He responded to their lamentations. With unlimited love and solidarity, He embraced those who were socially and religiously marginalized. He showed special compassion to them. He embraced many weeping souls. He touched many aching hearts. He became bread — broken and shared. Full of compassion for them, He was moved by their hunger and called His disciples to feed them, as He Himself knew what it meant to be hungry. Fr. Alex Balatbat

REFLECTION QUESTION: What are you afraid of? Allow the love of God to consume your fears. His love impels us to respond to the call of compassion to everyone.

Lord, let Your love transform my fearful heart into a compassionate heart — a heart that creates miracles; a heart that impels us to be like bread that is broken and shared. Amen.