SATURDAY, FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Gn 3: 9-24 Ps 90: 2-6, 12-13 Mk 8: 1-10
BROKENNESS TO RESTORATION
The readings of the day invite us to reflect on human brokenness and Christ’s restorative mission. God’s question in the first reading, “Where are you?” echoes through human history. It is not a question of location but of relationship. Adam and Eve’s attempt to hide reveals the disordered relationship brought about by their transgression. Despite their disobedience, however, God does not abandon them. The Church teaches in Gaudium et Spes that even in humanity’s fallen state, “God did not abandon them to the power of death but continued to reach out to humanity through His covenant.” God’s judgement includes the consequences of disobedience: toil, pain, and mortality. Yet, His act of clothing Adam and Eve signifies His enduring care, a foreshadowing of the grace to be fully revealed in Christ. As Pope Francis explains, “God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking His mercy.”
In contrast, today’s gospel offers a vision of restoration. Jesus, moved with compassion for the crowd, multiplies bread and fish, satisfying both their physical and spiritual hunger. In Deus Caritas Est, Pope Benedict XVI teaches that “Jesus gave Himself as bread, which fulfils man’s deepest hunger, the hunger for God.” The feeding of the multitude not only demonstrates Christ’s concern for human needs but also prefigures the eternal banquet in heaven. Furthermore, the disciples’ participation in distributing the bread reminds us of the church’s mission. As members of the Body of Christ, we are called to bring Christ’s life-giving presence to a world still struggling with the effects of sin. Lumen Gentium reminds us that the Church is “the universal sacrament of salvation,” extending Christ’s compassion to all, healing what was broken in Eden. Pope Francis summarises this beautifully in Laudato Si: “The history of salvation is one of God’s constant love for His people, culminating in the self-giving of His Son.”
Response: O Lord, you have been our refuge,
from generation to generation.
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