18th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

Some of us worry a lot and are worrywarts. We worry about so many things, sometimes things which are actually not a big deal. We worry about our present circumstances, we worry about our future, we worry about our family, our financial situation, etc. When we worry, we are actually looking only at ourselves, we are looking at our needs and perhaps the needs of our loved ones. We have little or no time to think of the needs of others, especially those not close to us or those around us.

So how do we lessen or stop our worrying? By being more trusting towards God's care, love goodness and providence. In the second reading, we are reminded that "Nothing can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us." If God is there for us, why do we still worry? If we believe that God can help us, then we should be free from worries. We should be more willing to care and share with others, because God is there for us and we will not be lacking as God can provide for us.

In today's Gospel, we see how the disciples were worried about what to do with the crowd. We read: "When evening came, the disciples went to him and said, ‘This is a lonely place, and the time has slipped by; so send the people away, and they can go to the villages to buy themselves some food.’ Jesus replied, ‘There is no need for them to go: give them something to eat yourselves.’ But they answered ‘All we have with us is five loaves and two fish.’" Here, we see how the disciples still did not get it. They still did not recognise or have enough trust in Jesus. They were more concerned of themselves and wondered how they were going to feed such a crowd with so few loaves and fish. But Jesus showed them that when we give, we can receive even more, and we see this in the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fish which Jesus performed right in front of their eyes.

The more we are willing and prepared to give, the more blessings we would receive from God. It matters not how much or how little we give, it is the heart or quality of the giving that matters. Some people give a lot, but they may do so grudgingly or to show off. But if we are genuinely willing to give happily and generously, God will bless us abundantly, sometimes in ways which are beyond what we imagine. Are we willing to trust in God's providence and share what we have?