Tuesday after Epiphany 2020 - The bread of self-donation

Throughout the Christmas season, our daily Gospel readings expound upon the identity and mission of the Christ-Child born at Bethlehem. Yesterday’s Gospel told of the beginning of the Lord’s Galilean ministry. Jesus is revealed as the one who calls us to repentance, who is able to bring healing for all our physical diseases, but also our deepest spiritual disease. Jesus reveals to us the face of God who loves us, who desires our healing, our reconciliation with him.

What does today’s Gospel reveal to us about Jesus, about God? In the story of the multiplication of the loaves, Jesus is attentive to the physical hunger of the people who have come to listen to him preach. They have come to listen to Him preach because of their deep spiritual hunger. So he attends to both physical and spiritual hunger. Here Jesus reveals the face of God who desires to give us what truly nourishes—both materially and spiritually—our “daily bread” for which he teaches us to pray.

And yet, what is the nature of the spiritual nourishment Jesus provides? Well, the Gospel passage hints at what is later fulfilled at the Last Supper. Notice, when his disciples speak to him about the hunger of the people, the Lord tells them to feed the crowd. You, do something, you work to satisfy their hunger. You give them some food yourselves. There is something spiritually nourishing when we feed others. When we engage in the works of mercy we receive something greater than the physical, material thing that is given away. The great paradox at the heart of this reading is that giving bread to others is bread to us. The babe born in Bethlehem, Hebrew for “house of bread” has become the the bread of self-donation, and teaches us to become like Him.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus explains, “my food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish his work.”

In the first reading this morning, when St. John says, “let us love one another because God is love” he is not talking about love as emotion. Love—Agape—in the Greek—means giving yourself to others, giving of yourself for the good of others. So we are to “give of our selves because God is self-giving love”. 

Especially in the Eucharist we see that God is the spiritual food for our spiritual hunger. When Jesus says, “do this in memory of me”, yes he is speaking of the need for us to celebrate ritually the Eucharist, but also the need for us to give of our body and blood, to give our lives away as a sacrifice to God, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We bring forth now our prayers of petitions.

That the Church may be attentive to the physical and spiritual needs of all.

For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of January: that Christians, followers of other religions, and all people of goodwill may promote peace and justice in the world.

For those oppressed by hunger, sickness or loneliness, that through the mystery of the Nativity of Christ, they may find relief in both mind and body.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord