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| “The Miracle of the Loaves” by Tintoretto, 1579-81 |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Acts 5:34-42
Commentary on Acts 5:34-42
This passage concludes the Apostles’ second confrontation with the Sanhedrin. Gamaliel (probably St. Paul’s mentor Acts 22:3), dissuades the Jewish leadership from killing the Apostles, to let them off with scourging (probably also at the hands of the same men who scourged the Lord). St. Luke records an enlightened view from the great Hebrew teacher. Having witnessed a number of false prophets rise and fall, he tells the Sanhedrin that “... if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them.”
Gamaliel was indeed wise, recognizing that, even before it formally existed, the blood of martyrs is the seed for new members of the Church. Even persecution has a positive effect on the faith and fervor of the Apostles. (“So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.”)
CCC: Acts 5:41 432
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14
R. (see 4abc) One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Commentary on Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14
Psalm 27 is an individual lament. Here, the singer expresses faith in God, who is the refuge of the faithful, longing to find ultimate safety and the bounty of God’s heavenly kingdom. This passage from the psalm captures the two major themes, hope in God’s mercy, and complete trust in his goodness. In these strophes, David longs for the Lord’s protection and the gift of life which flows from God's salvation.
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Gospel: John 6:1-15
Commentary on Jn 6:1-15
This selection from St. John is the fourth sign from his Gospel, the multiplication of the loaves. It is the only miracle story carried in all four Gospels, and closely follows the synoptic Gospels (Mark 6:34-44, Luke 9:10-17, Matthew 14:13-21 and Matthew 15:32-39) in most details.
We see in this passage the strong reference to the Eucharist as well as a demonstration of God’s great love and mercy. More subtle is the reference to feeding the poor. Barley loaves were traditionally the fare of the poor. It is also interesting to note that, in the Jerusalem translation, the Lord “escaped” into the hills at the end of the story. This implied that the people were immediately aware of the great sign he had facilitated.
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Reflection:
We are most struck today by the prophetic words of Gamaliel, the Hebrew scholar mentioned in the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles. He did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah. Had that been the case, he surely would have been standing with the Apostles rather than advising the Sanhedrin. He is typical of the unlikely fingerprints of God in the world, and we are amazed at the subtlety of the Lord’s plan of salvation.
We consider the climate of the scene painted by the words of St. Luke. The upstart Jesus, who had worked signs and wonders (like the multiplication of the loaves presented in St. John’s Gospel) had been taken care of by Pilate. Yes, there had been some issues with the execution. The body of Jesus had disappeared and his disciples had claimed to have seen him alive. But the Sanhedrin had already bribed the Roman guards at the tomb to say this preacher’s own disciples had stolen the body. That was not hard since the Guards did not want to admit that they had seen nothing and the body was gone.
Now, some days later, the remnants of the young carpenter’s group came to the temple with the same message that this Jesus had used when he was alive, a message that resonated with the masses. On top of that, they too had started to perform miraculous signs in the name of Jesus. This was starting to get out of hand. The Sanhedrin had told the Apostles to stop, and they did not. They threw a couple of them in prison, and those imprisoned somehow got free of a locked and guarded cell. There was fear mixed with the anger. The Sanhedrin felt they were being disobeyed, having their authority flouted.
Now, standing in front of them, there were not just two, but eleven all saying the same outrageous things; that their Rabbi, Jesus of Nazareth, had risen from the dead as predicted by the prophecy of the Messiah. Further, they were laying his blood on the august body of which they were a part, saying they had killed God. It was outrageous. What should they do?
Into this emotional debate comes the cool politically motivated Gamaliel. His thoughts probably took into account the options. They could have these eleven condemned by Pilate as they had done with Jesus. And while Pilate probably would not mind, killing a few more religious fanatics would likely make his life easier, it would be a bother and there was some popular support for these people. So, money would need to be spent. Or, they could simply discipline them and let them go. It was highly likely that Gamaliel’s analytical mind could not conceive what God had planned for these simple men. So he easily convinced his fellows to take the course of least resistance and have them flogged and released.
What if they had killed all eleven? Would Mary, the Mother of God, and the faith filled women have taken up the light of Christ? Would it have been some other unlikely hero, perhaps even one reclining among the multitudes eating barley loaves and fish? The fact is, the Apostles walked free, emboldened by the fact that they had shared some of Christ’s suffering. And the Word of God came into the world, this time through them. How amazing is our God; how incredible the working of the Holy Spirit!
Pax
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