Memorial of Saint Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Lectionary: 271
A Pharisee in the
Sanhedrin named Gamaliel,
a teacher of the
law, respected by all the people,
stood up, ordered
the Apostles to be put outside for a short time,
and said to the
Sanhedrin, “Fellow children of Israel,
be careful what you
are about to do to these men.
Some time ago,
Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone important,
and about four
hundred men joined him, but he was killed,
and all those who
were loyal to him
were disbanded and
came to nothing.
After him came
Judas the Galilean at the time of the census.
He also drew people
after him,
but he too perished
and all who were loyal to him were scattered.
So now I tell you,
have nothing to do
with these men, and let them go.
For 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;
you may even find
yourselves fighting against God.”
They were persuaded
by him.
After recalling the
Apostles, they had them flogged,
ordered them to
stop speaking in the name of Jesus,
and dismissed them.
So they left the
presence of the Sanhedrin,
rejoicing that they
had been found worthy
to suffer dishonor
for the sake of the name.
And all day long,
both at the temple and in their homes,
they did not stop
teaching and proclaiming the Christ, Jesus.
R. (see 4abc) One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the
Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is my
light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my
life’s refuge;
of whom should I be
afraid?
R. One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the
Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
One thing I ask of
the LORD
this I seek:
To dwell in the
house of the LORD
all the days of my
life,
That I may gaze on
the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his
temple.
R. One thing I seek: to dwell in the house
of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I believe that I
shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the
living.
Wait for the LORD
with courage;
be stouthearted,
and wait for the LORD.
R. One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the
Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Jesus went across
the Sea of Galilee.
A large crowd
followed him,
because they saw
the signs he was performing on the sick.
Jesus went up on
the mountain,
and there he sat
down with his disciples.
The Jewish feast of
Passover was near.
When Jesus raised
his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,
he said to Philip,
“Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”
He said this to
test him,
because he himself
knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered
him,
“Two hundred days’
wages worth of food would not be enough
for each of them to
have a little.”
One of his
disciples,
Andrew, the brother
of Simon Peter, said to him,
“There is a boy
here who has five barley loaves and two fish;
but what good are
these for so many?”
Jesus said, “Have
the people recline.”
Now there was a
great deal of grass in that place.
So the men
reclined, about five thousand in number.
Then Jesus took the
loaves, gave thanks,
and distributed
them to those who were reclining,
and also as much of
the fish as they wanted.
When they had had
their fill, he said to his disciples,
“Gather the
fragments left over,
so that nothing
will be wasted.”
So they collected
them,
and filled twelve
wicker baskets with fragments
from the five
barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.
When the people saw
the sign he had done, they said,
“This is truly the
Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.”
Since Jesus knew
that they were going to come and carry him off
to make him king,
he withdrew again
to the mountain alone.
Meditation: The miraculous sign of Jesus
Can anything on this earth truly satisfy the deepest longing and
hunger we experience for God? A great multitude had gathered to hear Jesus, no
doubt because they were hungry for the word of life. Jesus' disciples wanted to
send them away at the end of the day because they did not have the resources to
feed them. They even complained how much money it would take to feed such a
large crowd - at least six month's wages! Jesus, the Bread of Life,
took the little they had - five loaves and two fish - and giving thanks to his
heavenly Father, distributed to all until they were satisfied of their hunger.
The people of Israel had been waiting for the prophet whom Moses
had promised: The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me
from among you, from your brethren - him shall you heed(Deuteronomy 18:15).
The signs which Jesus did, including the miraculous feeding of the five
thousand signified that God has indeed sent him as the anointed Prophet and
King. Jesus' feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle that is repeated
in all four gospel accounts. What is the significance of this particular
miracle? The miraculous feeding of such a great multitude pointed to God's
provision of manna in the wilderness for the people of Israel under Moses' leadership
(Exodus 16). This daily provision of food in the barren wilderness foreshadowed
the true heavenly bread which Jesus would offer his followers.
Jesus makes a claim which only God can make: He is the true
bread of heaven that can satisfy the deepest hunger we experience. The
sign of the multiplication of the loaves when the Lord says the blessing,
breaks, and distributes through his disciples prefigures the superabundance of
the unique bread of his Eucharist or Lord's Supper. When we receive from the Lord's
table we unite ourselves to Jesus Christ, who makes us sharers in his body and
blood. Ignatius of Antioch (35-107 A.D.) calls it the "one bread
that provides the medicine of immortality, the antidote for death, and the food
that makes us live for ever in Jesus Christ" (Ad Eph. 20,2).
This supernatural food is healing for both body and soul and strength for our
journey heavenward.
When you approach the Table of the Lord, what do you expect to
receive? Healing, pardon, comfort, and rest for your soul? The Lord has much
more for us, more than we can ask or imagine. The principal fruit of receiving
the Eucharist is an intimate union with Christ. As bodily nourishment restores
lost strength, so the Eucharist strengthens us in charity and enables us to break
with disordered attachments to creatures and to be more firmly rooted in the
love of Christ. Do you hunger for the "bread of life"?
The feeding of the five thousand shows the remarkable generosity
of God and his great kindness towards us. When God gives, he gives abundantly.
He gives more than we need for ourselves so that we may have something to share
with others, especially those who lack what they need. God takes the little we
have and multiplies it for the good of others. Do you trust in God's provision
for you and do you share freely with others, especially those who are in need?
"Lord Jesus, you satisfy the deepest longing of our heart
and you feed us with the finest of wheat (Psalm 81:16). Fill me with gratitude
and give me a generous heart that I may freely share with others what you have
given to me."
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Our Meager Gifts to God
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Memorial of Saint Athanasius, bishop and
doctor of the Church
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John 6:1-15
After this, Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. A large
crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.
Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The
Jewish feast of Passover was near. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a
large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, "Where can we buy
enough food for them to eat?" He said this to test him, because he
himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Two hundred
days´ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a
little." One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said
to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;
but what good are these for so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people
recline." Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men
reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave
thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of
the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his
disciples, "Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be
wasted." So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with
fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.
When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, "This is truly the
Prophet, the one who is to come into the world." Since Jesus knew that
they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again
to the mountain alone.
Introductory Prayer: I come
before you, Lord, poor and unworthy. Yet you welcome me with such love. With
my effort during this meditation I want to make a small return on your great
kindness.
Petition: Lord,
help me to understand the trials you send me and to value your gift of grace.
1. The Trials of Life: The
Gospel tells us that Jesus “tests” the disciples, watching the reaction they
have to seemingly impossible situations. This test in the shortage of food
may well have induced a panic. As the apostles looked out at the vast crowd,
they felt totally inadequate in the face of such need. Perhaps in that sense,
they passed the test. Christ wanted them to experience that human ingenuity
alone could not be the foundation of the Church. No matter how smart the
apostles or their successors are, the needs of the souls and the world will
always vastly outstrip our human capacity. So what’s the answer? There’s only
one: the Lord!
2. The Insufficient Gift: While
the disciples are confused, a little boy is generous. With innocence and
simplicity, he walks up with his basket. With this food, the Lord will do
something wonderful. Perhaps Our Lord was thinking about this boy when he
said, “Unless you become like a child, you will not enter the kingdom of
heaven.” The disciples are being given a beautiful lesson in this trusting
child: give everything over to Christ; it doesn’t matter how little it may seem
to you or others — with his divine power, great things can happen with our
five loaves and two fish.
3. Let Nothing Be Wasted: It’s
interesting that Our Lord sends out the disciples as a cleanup crew after
this big meal. One insight that we can draw from this is the value of God’s
grace. Even though the Lord’s power is infinite, we should not become
complacent and view his grace as some commodity in oversupply. It is precious
and should not be wasted. Yet, that would seem to be exactly what happens. We
have received so many sacraments, but we are far from being saints. This
speaks to us again of the marvelous patience of the Lord. Even when we don’t
fully appreciate the value of his gifts, he doesn’t stop giving them.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, I
see the compassion in your eyes when you look out at the vast crowd. They are
hungry, but I am poor and weak in the face of such need. Come to my aid! Give
the grace I need to cooperate generously with you in the ongoing work of
redemption.
Resolution: I will be
generous in helping others, trusting more in God’s grace than in m
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FRIDAY, MAY 2, JOHN
6:1-15
(Acts 5:34-42;
Psalm 27)
KEY VERSE: "Then
Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were
reclining" (v 11).
READING: All
four Gospels recount the miraculous multiplication of loaves to show its
Eucharistic importance. In the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke), Jesus
celebrated the Passover as his "Last Supper." His body and blood was
offered in the bread and wine as a sacrifice to free us from the bondage of
sin. In John's gospel, the multiplication of loaves took place close to the
Jewish feast of Passover, a memorial of Israel's deliverance from slavery in
Egypt (Ex 12:14). In John's version of the multiplication of loaves, Jesus
spoke about eating his flesh and drinking his blood (v 53). This is exactly
what occurred at the Last Supper. The actions Jesus performed in the wilderness
when he "took," "blessed," "broke," and
"distributed" the bread, are the same actions used in the Eucharistic
celebration today. The people of Jesus' day recognized the Messianic significance
of this banquet, and acclaimed that he was the "one who had come into the
world" to bring salvation (v 15).
REFLECTING: Do
I appreciate the mystery of Christ's sacrificial love in the Eucharist?
PRAYING: Risen
Lord, help me to grow in love and understanding of you in the Eucharist.
"This miracle of the loaves has three aspects. It is preceded by
the search for God, for his word, for the teaching that sets the whole of life
on the right path. Furthermore, God is asked to supply the bread. Finally,
readiness to share with one another is an essential element of the miracle.
Listening to God becomes living with God, and leads from faith to love, to the
discovery of the other. Jesus is not indifferent toward people's hunger, their
bodily needs, but he places these things in the proper context and the proper
order"Pope
Benedict XVI
Memorial of Athanasius,
bishop and doctor of the Church
Athanasius was born
in Alexandria, Egypt, towards the end of the third century, and from his youth
was pious and deeply versed in the sacred writings. While still a deacon, he
was chosen by Alexander, his bishop, to go with him to the Council of Nicea,
A.D. 325. There Athanasius defended the Church against the Arian heresy, which
denied the Divinity of Christ. When Alexander was dying, he recommended
Athanasius to be his successor as Patriarch of Alexandria, and he served in
that office for forty-six years bearing the brunt of the Arian assault.
Arianism taught that Christ was a creation of the Father, a creature, and not
part of God. Athanasius formulated the doctrine ofhomoousianism which said that Christ was
"consubstantial with the Father,” as we pray in the Nicene Creed. When the
dispute over Arianism spilled over from theology to politics, Athanasius was
exiled five times, and spent more than a third of his episcopate in exile. He
is a biographer of St. Anthony the Abbot, a Confessor of the faith and Doctor
of the Church.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Spiritual Perspective
Get beyond the words to God. Don’t make even the words of
Scripture an idol. They are not meant to be worshipped as such. They are meant
to lead us to God.
One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord
‘Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?’
One of Jesus’ most memorable miracles unfolded because a generous
little boy was willing to share his lunch. Little did he know that it would
become a feast for thousands. This story in John’s gospel is given for us.
Jesus invites us to see the needs and problems around us, and not to get
overwhelmed or pretend they don’t exist. \' He asks us to bring our meagre
offerings, giving thanks to God for them and to share whatever he gives us. We
can be sure that it will be more than enough to fulfil his great plan. Whenever
we bring problems or needs to the Lord, he calls us to have faith. The moment
we say, ‘It may be impossible for me, but not for God’, we are opening the door
to endless divine possibilities. Believe! Trust! Who knows how the Lord will
multiply the bread in our hands?
May
2
St. Athanasius
(295?-373)
Athanasius led a tumultuous but dedicated life of service to the
Church. He was the great champion of the faith against the widespread heresy of
Arianism, the teaching by Arius that Jesus was not truly divine. The vigor of
his writings earned him the title of doctor of the Church.
Born of a
Christian family in Alexandria, Egypt, and given a classical education,
Athanasius became secretary to Alexander, the bishop of Alexandria, entered the
priesthood and was eventually named bishop himself. His predecessor, Alexander,
had been an outspoken critic of a new movement growing in the East—Arianism.
When
Athanasius assumed his role as bishop of Alexandria, he continued the fight
against Arianism. At first it seemed that the battle would be easily won and
that Arianism would be condemned. Such, however, did not prove to be the case.
The Council of Tyre was called and for several reasons that are still unclear,
the Emperor Constantine exiled Athanasius to northern Gaul. This was to be the
first in a series of travels and exiles reminiscent of the life of St. Paul.
After
Constantine died, his son restored Athanasius as bishop. This lasted only a
year, however, for he was deposed once again by a coalition of Arian bishops.
Athanasius took his case to Rome, and Pope Julius I called a synod to review
the case and other related matters.
Five
times Athanasius was exiled for his defense of the doctrine of Christ’s
divinity. During one period of his life, he enjoyed 10 years of relative
peace—reading, writing and promoting the Christian life along the lines of the
monastic ideal to which he was greatly devoted. His dogmatic and historical
writings are almost all polemic, directed against every aspect of Arianism.
Among his
ascetical writings, his Life of St. Anthony (January 17)
achieved astonishing popularity and contributed greatly to the establishment of
monastic life throughout the Western Christian world.
Comment:
Athanasius suffered many trials while he was bishop of Alexandria.
He was given the grace to remain strong against what probably seemed at times
to be insurmountable opposition. Athanasius lived his office as bishop
completely. He defended the true faith for his flock, regardless of the cost to
himself. In today’s world we are experiencing this same call to remain true to
our faith, no matter what.
Quote:
The hardships Athanasius suffered in exile, hiding, fleeing from
place to place remind us that Paul said his ministry took him: “[O]n
frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from
my own race, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the
wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; in toil and hardship,
through many sleepless nights, through hunger and thirst, through frequent
fastings, through cold and exposure. And apart from these things, there is the
daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches” (2 Corinthians
11:26-28).
LECTIO DIVINA:
JOHN 6,1-15
Lectio:
Friday, May 2, 2014
Easter Time
1)
OPENING PRAYER
Lord our God,
your Son Jesus fed
those who followed him in the desert
and they received as much as they wanted.May we know and be convinced
that he can fill our own emptiness
not just with gifts
that fill our need of the moment
but with himself,
and may we accept him eagerly,
for he is our Lord for ever.
2)
GOSPEL READING - JOHN 6,1-15
After this, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee - or of Tiberias -
and a large crowd followed him, impressed by the signs he had done in curing
the sick. Jesus climbed the hillside and sat down there with his disciples.
The time of the Jewish Passover was near. Looking up, Jesus saw
the crowds approaching and said to Philip, 'Where can we buy some bread for
these people to eat?' He said this only to put Philip to the test; he himself
knew exactly what he was going to do. Philip answered, 'Two hundred denarii would
not buy enough to give them a little piece each.' One of his disciples, Andrew,
Simon Peter's brother, said, 'Here is a small boy with five barley loaves and
two fish; but what is that among so many?' Jesus said to them, 'Make the people
sit down.' There was plenty of grass there, and as many as five thousand men
sat down.
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to
those who were sitting there; he then did the same with the fish, distributing
as much as they wanted. When they had eaten enough he said to the disciples,
'Pick up the pieces left over, so that nothing is wasted.' So they picked them
up and filled twelve large baskets with scraps left over from the meal of five
barley loaves.
Seeing the sign that he had done, the people said, 'This is
indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.' Jesus, as he realised they
were about to come and take him by force and make him king, fled back to the
hills alone.
3)
REFLECTION
• The reading of the IV Chapter of John begins today which
places before us two signs or miracles: the multiplication of the loaves (Jn 6,
1-15) and walking on the water (Jn 6, 16-21).Then the long dialogue on the
Bread of Life is mentioned (Jn 6, 22-71). John places this fact close to the
feast of the Passover (Jn 6, 4). The central approach is the confrontation
between the old Passover of the Exodus and the new Passover which takes place
in Jesus. The dialogue on the bread of life will clarify the new Passover which
takes place in Jesus.
• John 6, 1-4: The situation. In the ancient Passover, the
multitude crossed the Red Sea. In the new Passover, Jesus crosses the Sea of
Galilee. A great crowd follows Moses. A great crowd follows Jesus in this new
exodus. In the first exodus, Moses goes up to the Mountain. Jesus, the new
Moses, also goes up to the mountain. The crowds followed Moses who presents
great signs. The crowds follow Jesus because they had seen the signs that he
worked in favour of the sick.
• John 6, 5-7: Jesus and Philip. Seeing the multitude, Jesus confronts
the disciples with the hunger of the people and asks Philip: “Where can we buy
some bread for these people to eat?” In the first exodus, Moses had obtained
food for the hungry people. Jesus, the new Moses, will do the same thing. But
Philip, instead of looking at the situation in the light of the Scripture, he
looked at it according to the system and replies: “Two hundred denarii would
not buy enough!” One denarius was the minimum salary for one day. Philip is
aware of the problem and recognizes his total incapacity to solve it. He
complains, but presents no solution.
• John 6, 8-9: Andrew and the boy. Andrew, instead of
complaining, seeks a solution. He finds a boy who has five loaves of bread and
two fish: Five barley loaves and two fish were the daily ration of the meal of
the poor. The boy hands over his daily ration of food! He could have said:
“Five loaves of bread and two fish, what is this for all these people? It will
serve nothing! Let us divide all this among ourselves, between two or three persons”,
but instead, he has the courage to give the five loaves of bread and the two
fish to feed 5000 persons (Jn 6, 10! One who does this, either he is a fool or
has much faith, believing that out of love for Jesus, all are ready to divide
their food as the boy did!
• John 6, 10-11: The multiplication. Jesus asks the people to
sit down on the ground. Then he multiplies the food, the ration of the poor.
The text says: “Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them
to those who were sitting there; he then did the same with the fish,
distributing as much as they wanted”. With this phrase, written in the year 100
after Christ, John recalls the gesture of the Last Supper (I Co 11, 23-24). The
Eucharist, when it is celebrated as it should be, will lead the persons to
share as it impelled the boy to give all his ration of food to be shared.
• John 6, 12-13: The twelve baskets of what was left over.
Number twelve evokes the totality of the people with their twelve tribes. John
does not say if fish were also left over. He is interested in recalling the
bread as a symbol of the Eucharist. The Gospel of John does not have the
description of the Eucharistic Supper, but describes the multiplication of the
loaves, symbol of what would happen in the communities through the celebration
of the Eucharistic Supper. If among the Christian people there was a true and
proper sharing, there would be abundant food and twelve baskets would be left
over for many other people!
• John 6, 14-15: They want to make him king. The people
interpret the gesture of Jesus saying: “This is indeed the prophet who is to
come into the world!” The peoples’ intuition is just. Jesus in fact, is the new
Moses, the Messiah, the one whom the people were expecting (Dt 18, 15-19). But
this intuition had been deviated by the ideology of the time which wanted a
great king who would be strong and a dominator. This is why, seeing the sign,
the people proclaim Jesus the Messiah and ask to make him King! Jesus perceived
what could happen, and he withdraws and goes to the mountain alone. He does not
accept this way of being Messiah and waits for the opportune moment to help the
people to advance a step farther.
4)
PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• In the face of the problem of hunger in the world, do you act
as Philip, as Andrew or like the boy?
• The people wanted a Messiah who would be a strong and powerful
king. Today, many follow populist leaders. What does today’s Gospel tell us
about this?
5)
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Yahweh is my light and my salvation,
whom should I fear?
Yahweh is the fortress of my life,
whom should I dread? (Ps 27,1)
