“I’VE got to keep a positive attitude,” I told a group of lay leaders during a meeting last week.
As people continually struggle to keep their jobs and maintain their households while being asked to share their limited blessings with others and their Church, I am tempted to feel discouraged in my prophetic mission of challenging people to give more of the resources they have. “Five loaves and two fish are all we have!” would be the symbolic response that others may bring to a stewardship meeting. But deep in a corner of my heart is still a flicker of hope that we could still gather more blessings, although they come slowly, often in small amounts. But in due time with God’s providence, a miracle will happen. Like the disciples in the Feeding of the Five Thousand, we’ll be astounded by what God can do with our “five loaves and two fish”.
“Somewhere in the mystery of God is an unlimited bounty, whether it makes sense to us or not,” Father John Kavanaugh, S.J., writes in his reflection on the Gospel this Sunday in The Word Embodied. “In the Kingdom there is never scarcity or lack of power to respond to others but always the superabundance of God’s nourishing and satisfying presence among and within us,” the authors of Living Liturgy comment. Both reflections have lifted my spirit of hopefulness. Yes, we could do it. Yes, we can make it happen. Yes, we will never run out of grace…if only our hearts are changed and our minds are enlightened.
Perhaps the “five loaves and two fish” that we can bring to Jesus are our transformed hearts and enlightened minds. With these gifts Jesus can make a miracle out of scarcity of the present time. And so, we should never feel dismayed about our prophetic role. We must continue to preach the Gospel of Christ, touching people’s hearts and illuminating their minds to be more loving, kind, generous and just.
People who are changed and enlightened by the Spirit of the Gospel can only realize the Kingdom of God. Governments and world organizations can provide decent living conditions to citizens through the values of love, compassion, service, and justice. Bills, laws, and regulations must reflect these values. Indeed, unless we have permeated the world with the Spirit of the Gospel and have brought about conversion of hearts and minds, we can’t have a world of generosity and abundance.
Let’s keep a hopeful spirit. Let’s bring our “fives loaves and fishes”, with our transformed hearts and enlightened minds. With these gifts God will make wonders in our lives and in the world!
* * *
From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (1999-2001). In 2001, he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s Seminary began in July 2014.
