17th Sunday - Jesus Searching for Love

How many semi trucks of bread, do you think it would take to feed 5000 people not counting women and children, which most likely would make the total way over 10,000 people?

According to a website, it would take 2 ½ semi loads of bread to feed 10,000 people and Jesus did it with just 5 loaves. Our Lord used the miraculous multiplication of loaves to feed the hungry crowd. They wanted something more than food to satisfy their hearts. What they were really searching for-- is love. Someone who cares for them.

The multiplication of the loaves and fish are a foreshadowing of the Mass. In fact, Jesus uses similar words at the Last Supper. In this Gospel it states, “Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them….” the same words He would use at the Last Supper.

At Mass, rather than bread and fish being multiplied and distributed, Jesus multiplies His presence in the Eucharist. How is it every person who comes to Mass can receive Jesus? Isn’t there just one Jesus? How can Jesus be present here in our tabernacle of Holy Trinity and yet also be present in the tabernacle at Lyons, at McPherson, at Bushton and in all tabernacles of the world? That’s because Our Lord multiplies His presence so He can totally and completely be present, body, blood, soul and divinity in multiple locations at the same time. Jesus is just as physically present on earth as He is in heaven. Its a miracle of presence. Perhaps that’s why people make the mistake of thinking Jesus is only spiritually present in the Eucharist. No! Jesus is not only spiritually present in the Eucharist. In the Eucharist is the total resurrected body of the Lord. With hair, with eye brows, with lips, eyes, ears, His entire presence both human and divine natures. In another words, when I hold the Eucharistic Jesus in my hand and am going to give you Holy Communion, I say, “Body of Christ”, and if you were see what is truly in the Eucharist, you would see Jesus in all His glory. His real body, looking and gazing upon you with love.

The Holy Eucharist is a double miracle. One miracle is the bread and wine changed into the body and blood of Jesus. The other miracle is the bread and wine continue to appear and taste like bread and wine, but are in fact the real body and blood of Jesus. At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread and said, “This is my body.” and took the wine and said, “This is my blood.” When He gave His Eucharistic discourse He told us to eat His flesh and drink His blood and if we do, we will have eternal life. And this what we do at Holy Mass. This is our faith. This is what we believe.

St. Alphonsus Ligouri said after we receive Holy Communion, Jesus stays with us for at least 10 to 15 minutes or longer. St. Thomas Aquinas helps us to understand the divine and bodily presence of Jesus stays within us until the Host is assimilated in our body. There is no greater time on earth, than when we receive Jesus in Holy Communion. It is most special time of prayer. It is called communion, because at that time we are in union with Jesus. His heart and our heart are united in love.

Have you heard the song, “Looking for Love in all the wrong places.” often times sung by Johnny Lee. Part of the song goes like this:

I was lookin' for love in all the wrong places
Lookin' for love in too many faces
Searchin' their eyes
Lookin' for traces of what I'm dreaming of
Hoping to find a friend and a lover
I'll bless the day I discover another heart
Lookin' for love

You came knockin' on my heart's door
You're everything I've been looking for

No more lookin' for love in all the wrong places
Lookin' for love in too many faces
Searchin' their eyes
Lookin' for traces of what I'm dreaming of
Now that I found a friend and a lover
I bless the day I discover
You, oh you, (O Lord Jesus), lookin' for love.

God blessed the day I discovered a searching heart, searching for love

Jesus is the one who knocks at the door of our heart. He has been searching for our love and we have been searching for His love.

Are you searching for love? Searching for someone who will understand you? Looking for someone who listen to you? Looking for the one feels your loneliness and pain? Look no further. Come to Jesus in the Eucharist.

We may have all sorts of problems, anxieties, fears and sufferings, and because of our human nature, we can wrongly look to the world to satisfy our desires, but only Jesus in the Eucharist can quench our thirst and satisfy our hunger and longing. Is there anyone greater than God Himself, who comes to dwell within our heart and promises food that will give us eternal life in heaven? Only God has the answers to all our problems.

Jesus told His apostles, on the night of the Last Supper, during His agony in the Garden, “Can you not watch with me, one hour?” Everyone who makes a Holy Hour always leaves in peace. No matter what our worries or problems, after we spend time with Jesus, He calms our hearts and gives us courage. During Eucharistic Adoration, we open our hearts to Jesus in prayer, who listens to us and gives us His love and graces to endure the sufferings of our life.

And so, we pray, Lord Jesus, you are the Bread of Life, who comes down from heaven on the altar. We believe you are really and truly present in the Eucharist. We long to receive you in Holy Communion. We look forward to that special moment, when our heart is untied with your Heart. O Lord, day and night, you are here in the tabernacle. You desire us to be with you as we come to kneel and gaze upon your true presence in Adoration. Though we cannot see you, we believe you are really and truly there. Your Mother gave you- feet to walk, lips to speak, hands to heal and a Heart to love and this is how you are present in the Eucharist. The only sign we seek, is your infinite love. Though we have searched for love in the all the wrong places, you satisfy our hungry heart thirsting for love.

As you said, “I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” You come knocking at the door of our heart. You are our friend and our lover, we are so blessed the day when we discover your searching heart, searching for love.