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“Love is like five loaves and two fish, always too little until you start giving it away.”

This is the message inscribed at the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish, a Roman Catholic church located at Tabgha on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee in Israel, near where Jesus multiplied a small amount of food to provide for the needs of everyone in the large crowd who had come to see him. A church, in some form or other, has existed on this spot since the first one was erected around AD 350. The quotation above is inscribed at a shrine as it stands today.

In front of the altar is a Byzantine mosaic of the loaves and fish, dating from about 480 A.D. It’s next to the rock upon which Jesus blessed the food. However, in the mosaic, you can see only four loaves, not five. Why? The fifth loaf is the bread of the Eucharist in which Jesus comes to us in Holy Communion at every Mass.

The Eucharist is more than the True Presence of Jesus. It’s more than a communion with the Body of Christ that’s become the whole Church community. It’s a miracle of multiplication. Whatever we lack from God, it comes to us in Jesus through the Holy Spirit, and when we participate in the Eucharistic celebration of Mass, we can (and should!) ask Jesus to multiply our insufficiencies into an abundance.

We can trust that he will give us all that we need, at the perfect time, in whatever way we’re able to receive it, albeit often through a growth process.

Today’s Gospel shows us that Jesus wants to do more than satisfy our needs. He wants to give us an experience of fullness and abundance. He not only miraculously fed the crowd of thousands; he also provided enough to make a mountain of leftovers. More than they needed, more than they ever expected. That’s what Jesus gave. And it’s what he continues to give us every time we receive the Eucharist. This, too, is a miraculous meal. Like the multiplication of five loaves and two fish, Jesus turns something small—bread and wine—into something abundant and overflowing: his body, blood, soul, and divinity.

Through this sacrament, we experience the gift of union with Jesus and the resulting graces that come from encountering him. Just like the crowds gathered that day in a deserted place, we come to Jesus with our emptiness—our needs, our weaknesses, our fears—and he fills us up until we, too, are “satisfied.” Receiving the Lord in the Eucharist is a momentous miracle and an earthly glimpse into heaven. May today’s celebration help remind us to be ever grateful for this most glorious gift.

PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE IN NEW YORK – Unfortunately, New York State is very close to legalizing physician-assisted suicide. Bill A136 has already passed the Senate and Assembly. The New York State Catholic Conference is asking that everyone reach out to the Governor, imploring her to block the passage of this legislation. Please go to bit.ly/veto-pas or scan the QR code on the flyer in today’s bulletin. Assisted suicide is a dangerous and deadly path and is not health care.

CELEBRATING FR. ALLAN – This weekend we give thanks for the priestly ministry of Fr. Allan Arneaud here at St. Rose of Lima. Many ask why priests are moved to new assignments, especially if everyone is happy. There is no doubt Fr. Allan was happy to be here. A priest serves the Church “in persona Christi” when he offers the sacrifice of the Mass, but he also is called to serve in the person of Christ in the way he leads the community of faith. Being a living witness to Christ also means that we are called to go before you as Jesus does at his ascension. We move on as a symbol of what we are all called to do in our spiritual lives. We keep moving forward in the growth of our faith, in our acts of mercy and in our conversion. Fr. Allan moves on to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to new ministries and his moving on reminds us that the Lord calls us all to continue to move forward to him and the mysteries that lie before us.

I also want to thank all who helped us offer him a proper sendoff in their organization of the reception. I know that he is very grateful for the love and support that this parish has shown him throughout these last three years.

WELCOME BACK, FR. JOE McCANN – Fr. Joe will be returning to St. Rose for another summer this week. We are so grateful that he continues to call St. Rose his summer home. He has a deep appreciation for the history of our parish in the nearly 50 years that he has been offering summer assistance. In addition to Fr. Joe, we will also have the occasional assistance of Fr. Saji Jose and Fr. Jijo Joseph, two of the chaplains at Good Samaritan Hospital. We also look forward to some visits from our parishioner, Fr. Patrick Nolan, SJ, and we will also have the opportunity to welcome our new associate pastor, Fr. Michael Iroh, CM, next month.

Peace,