Fr Francis’ Front-Page Reflection

What You Have Is Enough 

In this Sunday’s gospel, a small boy holds the key to feeding a crowd the size of our weekend parish population multiplied five times over. His “keys” are five loaves and two fish, plenty for himself and his family; scarce for the crowd. That little boy is a little bit like us. Whatever our age, each of us are small compared with the human population. We have skills and resources sufficient to provide for ourselves and our families. As far as the world goes though, we cannot even begin to provide. If anything, we count on the world to provide for us – to pay its taxes, and buy our products. As we are seeing in today’s economy, even the world cannot provide for us with any guarantees. Even communist systems of the past, with sharing at the heart of their ideology, ultimately failed. For these reasons, it can seem like a tall order, when Fr. Josh, Fr. Gerard and I speak about sharing the Good News. You can rightly ask: what difference can I make? I am only small. The “bread” I carry is enough for me and my family, but not much more.

This gospel stands in judgement over us. It shouts God’s words to Jeremiah at our timidity “Do not say I am just a child; for to whomsoever I shall send you, you shall go, and whatsoever I will command you, you will speak”.

Look through history, and you will see, that the great moments and shifts happened because one person, was in the right place at the right time with the right resources around them. One person with providence. This boy was small, but the providence of almighty God supplied and the people got fed. What “bread and fish” – your talents and resources – are you sitting on? Are you bringing it to God in prayer? Are you bringing it forward to feed the Sunshine Coast? Jesus has fed you; he now wishes to feed others.

I wish to hear your stories in the week on how God has multiplied what you are bringing forward.

God bless, Fr Francis