Discussion Questions
First Reading
2 Kings 4:42-44
F1. Elisha knows that twenty loaves won’t be enough to feed the crowd. He must trust God over his own logic. Is this leap-of-faith kind of trust ever required in your life? Does such trust becomes easier with practice? Feeding everyone is very important in these readings. How important is feeding the hungry to you today?
F2. Both Elisha and the man from Baal-shalishah had to have faith that a miracle would happen. Do you consider miracles only “something that breaks the laws of nature”? Are there some everyday miracles in your life?
Second Reading
Ephesians 4:1-6
S1. Paul reminds the brothers and sisters to “preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit.” What do you do to preserve unity when it seems that such unity is going away? Are all people welcome to the church, since even Judas was welcome at the first Eucharist?
S2. Which would be better, to preserve the peace by not talking to anyone with whom we disagree, or to preserve the unity by staying and talking out the problem?
Gospel
John 6:1-15
G1. What do you think God is more likely to do, miraculously drop food where there is starvation or inspire people to help their neighbors solve their problems? If the latter, how can you help (through the Holy Spirit) in third world countries, your city, diocese, parish, office, or neighborhood?
G2. According to Pope Francis, does God use our gifts, even if they are in the category of “two fish, five loaves”?
Let us now try to put ourselves in the place of that boy. The disciples ask him to share everything he has to eat. It seems to be an unreasonable proposal. … In human terms, it is illogical. But not for God. On the contrary, thanks to that small freely-given and therefore heroic gift, Jesus is able to feed everyone. This is a great lesson for us. It tells us that the Lord can do a lot with the little that we put at His disposal.
Even today, the multiplication of goods cannot solve problems without fair sharing. The tragedy of hunger comes to mind, which affects the little ones in particular. It has been calculated officially that every day in the world around seven thousand children under the age of five die due to malnutrition, because they do not have what they need to live.
Faced with scandals such as these, Jesus also addresses an invitation to us, an invitation similar to the one probably received by the boy in the Gospel, who has no name and in whom we can all see ourselves: “Be brave, give what little you have, your talents, your possessions, make them available to Jesus and to your brothers and sisters. Do not be afraid, nothing will be lost, because if you share, God will multiply. Banish the false modesty of feeling inadequate, trust yourself. Believe in love, believe in the power of service, believe in the strength of gratuitousness”.
Pope Francis Angelus for 17th Ord B
July 25, 2021
Anne Osdieck
**From Saint Louis University