17th Sunday, Multiplication of Loaves (Searching for Love)

 

How many semi-trucks of bread, do you think it would take to feed 5000 people not counting women and children?

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.

In the Gospel, out of compassion for the hungry crowd, Jesus fed the people through the miracle of multiplying the loaves and fish and when the people had enough food to eat, there were 12 wicker baskets left over from the fragments.

Some theologians erroneously say the multiplication of loaves and fish wasn’t a miracle. But rather, all just shared the loaves and fish with each other. However, this is a false view of what the Church has always taught, that the multiplication of the loaves was a real miracle.

In fact, the Gospel says, “they filled the wicker baskets with fragments FROM the five barely loaves…” In other words, the loaves and the extra fragments came from the 5 five barely loaves. It also speaks about how they wanted to carry Jesus off to make Him a king. Why would they what to make Him King, if they just shared food with each other?

If Jesus was concerned about fragments left over from the multiplication of the loaves, how much more is He concerned about how the Eucharist, which is His real and true presence body, blood, soul and divinity? Each particle, no matter how small is the whole and entire person of Jesus.

The Council of Trent states: “Nor should it be forgotten that Christ, whole and entire, is contained not only under either species, but also in each particle of either species.”

This is one of the reasons why the ordinary manner, the Church desires that we receive Communion is on the tongue. I will repeat. The ordinary manner the Church desires we receive Communion is on the tongue.

Before we receive Holy Communion, the Church requires that we show some sign of reverence. The most common reverence shown as recommended by the US Bishops is to bow our head before we receive Communion. In some places people will genuflect or kneel or make the sign of the cross before receiving Communion.

We have an indult to receive on the hand. An indult is a permission. If we receive on the hand, after placing the Host in our mouth, we are to look for particles on the hand, and pick up the particles and consume them. It’s a sin to allow particles to fall from our hands onto the floor, because by doing so, we are dropping Jesus on the ground.

You will notice today, the priest washes the particles from his hands after giving Communion by pouring water over his fingers into the chalice. Linen purificators and corporals used during Mass are usually soaked overnight before washing to allow small particles of the Hosts to dissolve. Server patens are often used to catch small particles that may fall during the distribution of Holy Communion. We pay attention to every particle, no matter how small because each particle is whole and entire person of Jesus.

I humbly ask you to pray about receiving Communion on the tongue, to give Him the greatest possible reverence and respect. Ask Jesus, how He would like you to receive Holy Communion. According to scripture St. John the Apostle, took Mary into his home. He was a priest, he offered Mass, so the Virgin Mary would have received Communion from John. How do you think Mary received Jesus in Holy Communion? Most likely, on Her tongue.

When we receive Communion on the tongue, particles of the Sacred Host don’t fall to the ground. It’s a humbler way to receive the Eucharist, because we treat the Eucharist not as mere bread, but as to what it truly is, the real and true resurrected Jesus.

The Eucharist is a multiplication of the real physical presence of Jesus. It’s a miracle every person who comes to Mass is able to receive the real physical body of Christ in Holy Communion. Catholic who are dying in hospitals, nursing homes, or in their own home, have the joy of being able to receive Holy Communion one last time, called Viaticum, to prepare for their journey home to heaven before they die. With viaticum the dying person receives the Apostolic Pardon, which remits all punishment due to sin.

Although there is one Jesus, He multiplies His presence in the Eucharist to come to each patient’s heart and give them His love and graces to endure their suffering. According to St. Alphonsus Liguori, Communion lasts at least 10 to 15 minutes before the Sacred Host is assimilated in the body. What a joy and consolation it is for us who believe to have Jesus come to dwell within us.

In his letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul makes it very clear, that we cannot receive the Eucharist, in the state of mortal sin. He said, “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself.” (1 Corn. 11:27-29)

These words are proof, we are not eating bread at Mass. No! We are receiving the true body and blood of Jesus in Holy Communion. When we receive the Eucharist, after committing a mortal sin, such as missing Mass on Sunday, viewing pornography, committing adultery or impure actions or having relations before marriage, etc…, not only do we commit a sacrilegious communion, we commit another mortal sin and we do not receive any graces whatsoever, but rather deeply offend our Lord.

We are required to go to Confession before we receive Holy Communion, if we have committed a mortal sin.

Catholics should go to confession at least once a month. St. Padre Pio said we should confess once a week. Pope John Paul II, confessed every day.

Years ago, before I was a priest, I heard a priest erroneously say, we don’t need to go to Confession unless we commit a moral sin. This is very bad advice.

In fact, the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches the opposite. It states, CCC#1458 “Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.. I will repeat it again, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.

The Catechism goes on to tell why we should confess venial sins regularly. It states, “Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit. By receiving more frequently through this sacrament the gift of the Father's mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is merciful: 

Let’s go over that again: The Church strongly recommends that we confess our venial sins. By doing so, it forms our conscience, helps us to fight against evil tendencies, and we are healed by Christ. And by receiving frequently, through the sacrament of mercy, we are inspired to be merciful to others.

So, if we don’t confess frequently, our conscience is not formed well, we don’t receive grace to fight against evil tendencies and we can’t be sacramentally healed by Christ in Confession.

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

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.

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.

Oh, Jesus, we searched the world over and thought we found true love, but we were wrong, because we searched for worldly, a love and not everlasting love. But, here at Mass and at every Mass, we find your infinite love, contained in your beating Heart, truly present in the Eucharist. O Lord, we give you our love and we receive your love, grant us your salvation, through Your Mother’s intercession.

Johnny Lee - "Looking For Love in All the Wrong Places" (youtube.com)