The God of Jesus Christ is generous! From the five barley loaves and two fish, Jesus fed a big crowd of people, and the text tells us they filled twelve baskets of leftovers. God, in Jesus, is always much more giving and generous than we expect. We are invited to be like God and are called to be generous with our time, talents, and resources.
In a world that so often exalts self-interest, we are easily seduced into a culture of consumption. How many households (and restaurants) don’t dispose of good food when, usually, very close, there are people who are hungry and do not have food? How many baskets could we fill each day from our own homes?
But we are not only invited to think about food. We are called, like Jesus, to be generous-hearted. Could
the twelve baskets not symbolise the generous heart of Jesus, who saw the hungry crowd and wanted to feed them?
We are not called to be successful. We are called to reach out to those who need it most. And people have many different needs. Some need food; others need a listening ear or a word of encouragement. Others may be lonely and in desperate need of friendship or conversation. The miracle that Jesus performs to feed the
hungry crowd reminds us that we are invited to reach out generously to ordinary folks around us who have one need or another.
If we are generous-hearted, we will touch God because when we do as God does, we make God a reality.
Can you recall a time when God has been particularly generous to you? How has God’s generosity shaped your heart? Who might need your
generosity at this time?
Reflections by Russell Pollitt SJ
