Texts taken from the Missalette “On Your Word” July-August 2024

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
1st week of the Psalter

FIRST READING

From the Second Book of Kings (2 Kgs 4:42-44)
In those days, a man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread from the firstfruits: twenty barley loaves and fresh grain in his sack. Elisha said, “Give it to the people to eat.” But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred people?” He replied, “Give it to the people to eat. For thus says the Lord: ‘They shall eat and have some left over.’” He set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord. - The word of the Lord.

Commentary on the First Reading

The passage presented belongs to the collection of “little stories” concerning the prophet Elisha, described as a “man of God,” entirely at God’s disposal and through whom the Lord himself intervenes, both by bringing forth the word and by performing miracles. In this case, a man from Baal-shalishah offers Elisha some bread from the firstfruits, a gift therefore reserved for the Lord. Elisha does not keep the gift for himself, but makes it available to the people and has it distributed among them. The text highlights the disproportion between human means and the goal achieved, that is, between the twenty loaves offered and the hundred men fed. That food, the fruit of human labor and God’s blessing, multiplies to such an extent that there is enough to satisfy everyone. The historical period in which Elisha lived was characterized by religious syncretism, so the Israelites often turned to Baal, the god of rain, asking him to make the land fertile. The miracle of the bread shows that it is the Lord, the true and provident God, who gives the people water, bread, oil, wine, and every other good in abundance.

SECOND READING

From the Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians (Eph 4:1-6)
Brothers and sisters, I, a prisoner for the sake of the Lord, exhort you to live in a manner worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another in love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace. One body and one spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. - The word of the Lord.

Commentary on the Second Reading

From prison, the apostle Paul warmly urges his faithful to live according to God’s call, which has incorporated them into the ecclesial community. These verses are magnificent, because Christian life is created by Trinitarian charity. At the beginning, several virtues appear, including humility, without which it is impossible to attain full union with God. What Paul desires from his Christians is not a pious utopia, because on the human level it means preserving and maintaining that unity which the Holy Spirit continually brings about within the Christian community, bound by the “chain” of peace. Secondly, the apostle lists what holds Christians together. The ecclesial body receives its unity not from the mere juxtaposition of its members, nor even from mutual love, but from everyone’s participation in a single reality. Seven times Paul repeats “one,” and the end of the chain, made up of seven links, could only be the heavenly Father, who, although above all, makes use of each person to manifest himself and neglects no one of his loving presence.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to John (Jn 6:1-15)
At that time, Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee, that is, Tiberias. 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 toward 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 bit.” 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 sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place. So they sat down, about five thousand men. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were seated; he also gave them as much 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 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. - The word of the Lord.

Commentary on the Gospel of the Day

Reclining on the green grass, five thousand men are satisfied by Jesus’ generosity. The people do not ask for nourishment, and the passage should not be read as a relief effort. Jesus sees those people arriving and already has in mind what he intends to do. The disciples do not know how to deal with the situation, experiencing the inadequacy of human means, from which wonder arises when they perceive the greatness and abundance of divine power. Jesus behaves like a host who welcomes guests, makes them comfortable, and presides over the meal. The undertaking succeeds completely, as shown by the enormous number of those who eat and by the abundance of food left over. Nothing could be more astonishing and, at the same time, simple and joyful. Christ reveals himself as the true shepherd, caring for everyone’s life in order to transform the crowd into a great community, capable of warm friendship and fraternity. The meal shared by many is its sign. Everything comes from Jesus and ultimately from God, to whom thanks are given. For now, the act seems complete, because everyone is satisfied; but it is so rich in meaning that it remains an open potential for deeper reflection and further developments. Will he be the prophet as Moses was, or are we witnessing something completely different?